NEWLY (S^^^^i^^ 
1 ILLUSTRATED 



HENRY GRAHAM, D.D. 




Class __a^te:^ 

Book._ -^^ 

CoipghtF . 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



OLD TRUTHS 

NEWLY ILLUSTRATED 



BY 

HENRY GRAHAM, D.D. 




NEW YORK: EATON & MAINS 
CINCINNATI : JENNINGS & GRAHAM 






AUG 81 1904 
Ooovrlffht Entry 

CLASS CL XXe. No. 

COPY B 



Copyright, 1904, by 
EATON & MAINS. 



PREFACE 



This is not a pretentious volume. Its principal aim 
is to incorporate for public use more than three hundred 
original illustrations which the writer has found useful 
during a ministry of over thirty years in applying di- 
vine truth to the audiences which he has been privileged 
to address. His thought is that it will be especially 
valuable to ministers and teachers of spiritual truth, 
who are welcome to use the illustrations in their own 
way. 

At the same time the truths illustrated are the old 
truths of the Gospel of Christ, and it is hoped that in 
their present form they may be helpful to all Christians. 

The illustrations are all original, unless in a few in- 
stances the writer's memory has proved treacherous. 
Where legends, incidents, and historical and scientific 
facts are used, they are, of course, not original, but the 
application of them, so far as the writer can remember, 
has not been suggested by another. 



CONTENTS 



Afflictions Page i 

" Appearances Are Often Deceiving " 2 

Apostasy 5 

Backsliders 7 

Bad Business 8 

Bible Study 9 

Blind People — What They May Do 11 

Blossoms and Fruit 12 

Branches Broken Off 13 

Care of Converts 15 

Carrying Everything to God 15 

Changing Opinions 16 

Children for Christ 17 

Childhood Trust 18 

Choosing Our Destiny 19 

Christ a Universal Saviour 20 

Christ's Gospel 21 

Christ in Us 22 

Christ's Kingdom 23 

Christ Our Judge 24 

Christ Our Pattern 25 

Christ the Light of the World 27 

Christian Fellowship 28 

Christian Philanthropy 29 

Church of God 31 

Church of God a Light 31 

Communion with God 32 

Concealment 34 

Conflicts of Truth 35 

Consciousness of God's Presence 36 



vi Contents 

Courage Page 37 

Criticism in the Social Meetings 38 

Crosses 39 

Cross-bearing 40 

Death No Respecter of Persons 42 

Denominations of Christians 43 

Discouragement 44 

Divine Guidance 46 

Divine Power in the Church 47 

Environment 48 

Every One for Himself , . . . 50 

Example , 51 

Experience 53 

Failure in Christian Work 54 

Faith and Sight 56 

Faith and Works 57 

Falling 58 

Family Influence 59 

Fellowship of Christ's Sufferings 61 

Fickleness 62 

' ' Follow the Rule" 63 

Force Indestructible 65 

Forgetting God. 68 

Foundations 69 

Freedom of Man 71 

Friendship 74 

Fruit Diseased 75 

Fruit in Abundance 75 

' ' Fruit to Perfection" 76 

* ' Fullness of God" 77 

Fullness op the Spirit ' 79 

Full Salvation 79 

God First 79 

God Our Father 80 

God Our Portion 81 

God's Care 82 



Contents vii 

God Sees Page 83 

God's Great Sacrifice 84 

God's Nearness 85 

God Working through Men 86 

Giving 87 

' ' Give Me a Shove" 88 

Grace Abundant 89 

Grasping at Shadows 90 

Grievances 91 

Habit 91 

Hardship 92 

Heaven 94 

Helping Others 96 

Heredity 99 

Hoe-men loi 

Home 103 

Humiliation of Christ 104 

Immanence of God 105 

Importunity in Prayer 106 

Ingratitude 107 

Knocking 108 

Last Words 109 

Law of Love no 

"Let Your Light Shine" 112 

Life Eternal 114 

Life More Abundant 115 

Like Christ 116 

Limiting God 117 

Love for Christ 118 

Love of Money 119 

Love that Is Warm 120 

Love that Saves Must Be Mutual 121 

Luggage 123 

Marriage 125 

Men and Women in the Church 126 



viii Contents 

' ' Narrow Is the Way" Page 127 

^Nearsighted and Farsighted Christians 128 

Neutrality o 130 

Novel-reading 131 

Obedience the Test of Love 132 

Old Age Bearing Fruit 134 

Omnipresence 134 

Opportunities Neglected. 135 

Oppressing the Poor 137 

Partiality 138 

Pastoral Work 140 

Peace Within 142 

* ' Peculiar People" 143 

Personal Work 144 

Pleasures that Are Base 145 

Power of God 146 

' ' Practice Makes Perfect" 147 

Prayer for Others 148 

Prayer in the Family 150 

Prayer in Public 151 

Prayer in Secret 153 

Preparation for Great Things 154 

Pride 155 

Probabilities 157 

Procrastination 158 

Profession of Religion 159 

Punishment Hereafter ^ 159 

Reading 161 

Ready for Heaven 162 

Red Like Crimson 163 

Reformation 164 

Reform Within the Church 165 

Regeneration 166 

Religion Brings Peace 168 

Religion that Speaks for Itself 169 

Religious Life 170 



Contents ix 

Reputation Page 172 

Resisting God 174 

Resurrection from the Dead 175 

Riches 176 

Ripening Christians 177 

Risking the Soul 178 

Salvation for All 179 

Salvation from Sin 180 

Salvation Is of God 181 

Sanctification of Human Nature 182 

Secret Sin 183 

Seed-sowing 184 

Seizing Opportunities 185 

Service the Test of Greatness 186 

Sick-bed Repentance 187 

Sin 189 

Sin and Death 190 

Sin and Law 191 

Sin, Its Bondage 192 

Sin, Its Action and Reaction 193 

Spiritual Cripples 194 

Spiritual Death 195 

Spiritual Geography 196 

Spiritual Light 198 

Spiritual Magnetism 199 

Storms of Life 201 

Sympathy 201 

Temperance 202 

Temperance Seesaw 203 

Temptations 204 

Testing Truth 206 

Thirsting for God 206 

Touching Christ 208 

Types of Christian Character 208 

Unity of God 210 

Value of Love 211 



X Contents 

Waiting for Favorable Opportunities Page 212 

Waiting for God 214 

Waste Material 215 

Watching 216 

Watching Harder Work than Fighting 218 

"What We Shall Be" 219 

Wheat and Chaff 220 

Witness of the Spirit 221 

Work for Christ 222 

Working with God, .. ., 223 

Youth 224 

Youth, Manhood, Age 225 



PASSAGES OF SCRIPTURE 
ILLUSTRATED 



Gen. 2. 24 Marriage, 125. 

" 16.13 God Sees, 83. 

" 49. 4 Fickleness, 62. 

Exod. 32. 26 Temperance, 202. 

" 33- 16 Spiritual Geography, 196. 

Lev. 19. 2 Reform Within the Church, 165. 

Num. 23. 10 Last Words, 109. 

" 32. 23 Secret Sin, 183. 

Deut. 6. 12 Forgetting God, 68. 

" 6. 20, 21 ... Experience, 53. 
Josh. I. 9 God Working through Men, 86, 

" 24. 15 Choosing Our Destiny, 19. 

" 24. 15 Prayer in the Family, 150. 

Judg. 16. 20 Backsliders, 7. 

I Sam. 16. 7 "Appearances Are Often Deceiving, 

I Kings 15. 30.. . .Force Indestructible, 65. 
Psa. 32. 8 Divine Guidance, 46. 

" 37- 24 Falling, 58. 

" 42. 2 Thirsting for God, 206. 

" 46. I Storms of Life, 201. 

" 90. I Home, 103. 

" 92. 14 Old Age, 134. 

" 119. 60 Procrastination, 158. 

*' 119. 165 Religion Brings Peace, 168. 

" 139. 8 Immanence of God, 105. 

" 145. 18 God's Nearness, 85. 

Prov. 4. 18 Ripening Christians, 177. 

" 14. 14 Apostasy, 5. 

" 14. 31 Oppressing the Poor, 137. 



xii Passages of Scripture Illustrated. 

Prov. i8. 24 Friendship, 74. 

" 22. I Reputation, 172. 

" 22. 6 Family Influence, 59. 

Eccles. II. 4 Waiting for Favorable Opportunities, 212. 

II. 6 "Give Me a Shove," 88. 

" 12. I Youth, 224. 

Isa. I. 18 Red Like Crimson, 163. 

*' 28. 10 Habit, 91. 

" 30. 18 Waiting for God, 214. 

" 41. 10 God's Care, 82. 

" 65. 24 Power of God, 146. 

Jer. 17. 9 Heredity, 99. 

Dan. 4. 27 Reformation, 163. 

Matt. I, 21 Salvation from Sin, 180. 

4. 19 Work for Christ, 222. 

5. 13 Conflicts of Truth, 35. 

5. 14 Church of God a Light, 31. 

5. 16 " Let Your Light Shine," 112. 

5. 48 Fruit Diseased, 75. 

6. 6 Prayer in Secret, 153. 

6. 32 God Our Father, 80. 

6. 33 God First, 79. 

7. I Criticism in the Social Meetings, 38. 

7. 7 Knocking, 108. 

7. 14 " Narrow Is the Way," 127. 

7. 24-27. . .Foundations, 69. 

II. 28 Salvation for All, 179. 

16. 18 Denominations of Christians, 43. 

16. 24 Cross-bearing, 40. 

19. 19 Love that Is Warm, 120. 

21. 31 Waste Material, 215. 

22.37 Law of Love, no. 

23. 37 Resisting God, 174. 

24. 44 Ready for Heaven, 162. 

25. 10 Sick-bed Repentance, 187. 

25. 40 Christian Philanthropy, 29. 

25. 46 Punishment Hereafter, 159. 

26.39 Limiting God, 117. 

26. 41 Watching, 216. 



Passages of Scripture Illustrated. xiii 

Matt. 28. 19 Nearsighted and Farsighted Christians, 128. 

28. 20 Omnipresence, 134. 

Mark 8. 34 Christ Our Pattern, 25. 

" 8. 36 Risking the Soul, 178. 

" 10. 44 Service the Test of Greatness, 186. 

" 10. 46-52 , . .Blind People — What They May Do, 11. 
Luke 3. 17 Wheat and Chaff, 220. 

" 8. 14 " Fruit to Perfection," 76. 

" II. 8 Importunity in Prayer, 106. 

II. 13 Childhood Trust, 18. 

" 13-30 Environment, 48. 

" 19-44 Seizing Opportunities, 185. 

" 24. 49 Divine Power in the Church, 47. 

John I. 9 Spiritual Light, 198. 

" 3. 7 Regeneration, 166. 

" 5-22 Christ Our Judge, 24. 

" 5-39 Bible Study, 9. 

6. 48 God Our Portion, 81. 

8.12 Christ the Light of the World, 27. 

8. 32 Testing Truth, 206. 

" 10. 10 Life More Abundant, 115. 

" 12. 32 Spiritual Magnetism, 199. 

" 14. I Courage, 37. 

" 14. 2 Heaven, 94. 

" 14. 15 Love for Christ, 118. 

" 14. 21 Obedience the Test of Love, 132. 

" 14. 23 Communion with God, 32. 

" 14-27 Peace Within, 142. 

" 15. 4 Blossoms and Fruit, 12. 

" 15. 5 Touching Christ, 208. 

" 15. 6 Branches Broken Off, 13. 

" 15. 8 Fruit in Abundance, 75. 

" 16. 33 Crosses, 39. 

" 17. 3 Life Eternal, 114. 

" 18. 37 Christ's Kingdom, 23. 

" 21.16 Value of Love, 211. 

Acts 2. 17 Church of God, 31. 

" 12. 5 Prayer in Public, 151. 

" 16. 31 " Follow the Rule," 63. 



xlv Passages of Scripture Illustrated. 

Acts 20. 20 Pastoral Work, 140. 

20. 35 Helping Others, 96. 

Rom. I. 16 Christ's Gospel, 21. 

5. 12 Sin, 189. 

" 5. 20 Grace Abundant, 89. 

" 6. 12 Sin, Its Action and Reaction, 193. 

6.16 Sin, Its Bondage, 192. 

6. 23 Probabilities, 157. 

8. 16 Witness of the Spirit, 221. 

8. 25 Preparation for Great Things, 154. 

8. 32 God's Great Sacrifice, 84. 

" 12. 2 Example, 51. 

12. 6 Types of Christian Character, 208. 

" 12. 9 Neutrality, 130. 

13. 14 Pleasures that Are Base, 145. 

14. 12 Every One for Himself, 50. 

" 15.14 Hoe-men, loi. 

1 Cor. 3. 9 Working with God, 223. 

" 7.31 Grasping at Shadows, 90. 

" 15. 35 Resurrection, 175. 

♦• 15. 58 Failure in Christian Work, 54. 

" 16. 2 Giving, 87. 

2 Cor. 4. 17 Afflictions, i. 

4.18 Faith and Sight, 56. 

" 5.17 Sanctification of Human Nature, 182. 

" 6. 2 Opportunities Neglected, 135. 

Gal. 5. 22, 23 . . . .Temperance, 202. 

*' 5. 25 Religion that Speaks for Itself, 169. 

" 6. 2 Care of Converts, 15. 

*' 6. 7 Seed-sowing, 184. 

" 6. 9 Discouragement, 44. 

Eph. 2. I Spiritual Death, 195. 

" 2. 19 Christian Fellowship, 28. 

" 3.19 Fullness of God, 77. 

'* 4.32 Grievances, 91. 

*' 5.18 Fullness of the Spirit, 79. 

" 6. 4 Children for Christ, 17. 

" 6. 13 Watching Harder Work than Fighting, 21! 

** 6. 18 " Practice Makes Perfect," 147. 



Passages of Scripture Illustrated. xv 

Phil. 2. 8 Humiliation of Christ, 104. 

" 2. 12 Freedom of Man, 71. 

" 4. 3 Men and Women in the Church, 126. 

" 4. 6 Carrying Everything to God, 15. 

Col. I. 24 Fellowship of Christ's Sufferings, 61. 

" 1.27 Christ in Us, 22. 

" 3. 12, 13 "Peculiar People," 143. 

I Thess. 5. 21 Changing Opinions, 16. 

5-23 Full Salvation, 79. 

1 Tim. 2. 5 Unity of God, 210. 

" 4- 8 Youth, Manhood, Age, 225. 

" 4-13 Novel-reading, 131. 

6. 10 Love of Money, 119. 

2 Tim. 2. 3 Hardship, 92. 

" 2. 19 Bad Business, 8. 

" 3- 2 Ingratitude, 107. 

" 4. 2 Personal Work, 144. 

" 4. 13 Reading, 161. 

Heb. 2. 3 Salvation Is of God, 181. 

" 7. 25 Christ a Universal Saviour, 20. 

" 9. 27 Death No Respecter of Persons, 42. 

" 12. I Luggage, 123. 

" 13. 5 Consciousness of God's Presence, 36. 

James i. 2 Temptations, 204. 

" 1-15 Sin and Death, 190. 

" 2. 26 Faith and Works, 57. 

" 3. 17 Concealment, 34. 

" 3. 17 Partiality, 138. 

" 4-6 Pride, 155. 

" 5. I Riches, 176. 

" 5. 16 Prayer for Others, 148. 

1 Pet. 2. 9 Profession of Religion, 159. 

2 Pet. I. 5-7. . . .Spiritual Cripples, 194. 

" 3. 18 Religious Life, 170. 

I John I. 7 Sympathy, 201. 

" 3. 2 Like Christ, 116. 

" 3. 2 "What We Shall Be," 219. 

" 3. 4 Sin and Law, 191, 

" 4. 19 Love that Saves Must Be Mutual, 121. 



OLD TRUTHS 
NEWLY ILLUSTRATED 



Afflictions 

The perfection of seamanship is not to reduce the 
tempest, or to Hghten the ship by throwing the cargo 
overboard, but so to strengthen the ship and manage 
her that she shall carry her load and ride the heaviest 
sea. If a man should build a vessel and offer it for 
sale as a ship that could sail well in line weather, he 
would hardly find a buyer. If a man should seek em- 
ployment as a sailor who could climb the shrouds beau- 
tifully in sunshine, he would look long for an em- 
ployer. But if a man should advertise for sale a ship 
that could outride the fiercest gales with all her cargo 
undamaged, and could prove that she really could do 
so, every shipowner would want his vessel at any price ; 
and if a man should seek employment, not as a sum- 
mer sailor, but as a winter sailor — one who could walk 
the slippery decks and climb the icy shrouds in the 
teeth of the wildest tempest — every shipmaster would 
want him in his employ. 

It is not God's purpose to teach us to bear the ills 



2 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

of life by reducing those ills, but his purpose seems to 
be to pile on the burdens, and at the same time gird us 
with divine strength to bear them. It is not his pur- 
pose to spare us all disaster, and loss, and sorrow, and 
trouble, but to use these things for our spiritual growth 
and development. He wants a tried people. Who 
would not rather be a giant, though compelled to carry 
heavy burdens, than to be a weakling and carry no 
burdens ? God gives to his children a discipline which 
is designed to make the most of them ; to show to them- 
selves, to the world, and to high heaven that they are 
the stuff of which heroes are made. If a man should 
proclaim from the housetop that he is a fair-weather 
Christian, and will be faithful while the sun shines and 
flowers perfume his pathway, but will give no assur- 
ance of fidelity if crosses and troubles beset him, the 
churches would keep clear of him, and it is doubtful 
if he would commend himself to the great Head of the 
Church. 

''Appearances Are Often Deceiving:^ 

One cold, blustering April day, when the broken 
clouds were flying rapidly by in the sky and the sun was 
struggling to break through now and then with his 
light and warmth, a man looked up at the scene over- 
head and remarked : *'This day is tr}ang very hard to 
be decent — with only partial success." Such a day, in 
which storm and fair weather are struggling for the 
mastery, is very like some people who are making an 
equally desperate struggle to be decent — with about 
the same measure of success. We ought not to expect 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 3 

too much of an April day ; and we ought not to expect 
too much of some kinds of people. 

In traveling through the country in the autumn time 
I remember to have seen in the distance an old tumble- 
down barn of very forbidding appearance. The tim- 
bers were rotten, and it was leaning badly. The 
shingles in many places were torn from the roof by 
the wind, and those that rcinained were decayed and 
covered with moss. The clapboards were split and 
broken, and" in many places entirely wanting. The 
doors were off their hinges, and patched with boards 
and slabs, and propped together with an old rotten rail. 
The gangway had rotted and sunk far below the level 
of the floor, and in every way it was a most forlorn- 
looking building. It seemed ready to blow down or to 
sink by its own weight. I expected to find it empty, of 
course, but to my surprise, after climbing into it with 
some trouble, I found it filled to the very roof with 
well-cured hay and grain — a very valuable old estab- 
lishment after all. 

And some men are equally forbidding in external 
appearance and equally well-stored within. It is the 
peculiarity of some natures that they always present 
the worst side to view. If they do a good deed they 
do it in some uncouth or outlandish way that is apt to 
blind men to the value of the deed itself. Henry Ward 
Beecher said, "Many Christians are like chestnuts, very 
pleasant nuts, but inclosed in very prickly burs." 

Sugar refiners put into the boiling syrup some albu- 
minous substance, which coagulates and forms a kind 



4 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

of network that seizes upon all the impurities in the 
sugar and brings them to the top in the form of a 
thick black scum. Those who see only the surface of 
the sugar might consider it of no value ; but this would 
be a great mistake. The scum always rises to the top 
of a boiling pot ; and there is something analogous to 
this in the lives of some men. The evil within con- 
stantly rises to the surface, and that alone is seen. 

I once knew a very benevolent, kind-hearted man 
who was rather proud of his roughness and rudeness 
of manner. He used to slaughter a great many sheep 
in the autumn, and gave many a carcass to a poor 
family; but instead of carrying it into the house as he 
drove along, or calling some one to come out and get 
it, he would throw it down in the dirty road and with 
an oath tell them to come and get it. He carried a 
load of hay to a poor widow, and, instead of putting 
it into the barn, as others would have done, he carried 
it down into the cellar of the house, telling her the 
preachers would steal it if he left it in sight. 

Some men are so unfortunately constituted as always 
to present the worst side to view. The heart is really 
better than the life appears to be. God will doubtless 
find good where we see only evil. The Lord of the 
harvest will find wheat where we see only chaff. The 
all-seeing eye can detect fruit where we find only weeds. 
Man looks on the outward appearance, the Lord looks 
into the heart. Faults stand out more prominently 
than virtues. The weeds wave in the wind the pota- 
toes are out of sight in the ground. 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 5 

Opposite the little village of Bingen on the Rhine 
is a broad mountain side, about twelve hundred feet 
high and a mile or two in extent, covered with vine- 
yards from the river bank to the summit. The ascent 
is very steep, and to prevent the soil from rattling down 
when it is cultivated the whole mountain side has been 
terraced by building a succession of stone walls above 
each other, making the entire mountain side a great 
flight of stairs from bottom to top. The vines are 
planted on the tops of these terrace steps. Looking at 
the mountain side from the low level of the river, one 
can see little else than hard, forbidding stone walls 
rising one above the other. The walls hide the vines. 
Looking down from the top of the mountain, however, 
the stone walls are hidden from view, and there is little 
visible but thick green vines covered with rich clusters 
of grapes. The vines hide the walls. 

And so God, looking down into the hearts of men 
from above, will see fruits growing and ripening there, 
when we, from the low level of earth, can see no pros- 
pect of fruit. Every character has its heavenward 
side and its earthward side. God sees the heavenward 
side ; we can see only the earthward side. The heaven- 
ward side undoubtedly best represents the real man. 

Apostasy- 
Why should not the loss of religion bring unhappi- 
ness? It is told of the great orators Cicero and De- 
mosthenes, when they fell under the displeasure of 
their countrymen and were banished from Rome and 



6 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

Athens, that they never looked toward their native 
country without weeping; and shall it seem strange 
that a man should feel sorrow in his soul when he 
looks back to the Cross and gets a glimpse of the 
Saviour he has forsaken ? 

The man who was once rich, but has lost all and is 
compelled to pick up a living as best he can, can never 
forget the days of plenty, or look back to them without 
a pang. I knew a poor woman who was a pensioner 
on the funds of the church, and she never received 
help without pathetically reminding us of the days 
when she had plenty of money and was able to help 
others. And the man who has ever known the love of 
God in his soul cannot miss it without the deepest 
sorrow. 

I was once riding quite a distance on a summer even- 
ing when I overtook a man walking and asked him to 
ride. We chatted about the weather and the crops, as 
two strangers would; and as we neared the village 
where we must separate I thought I would say a word 
about religion, and so asked him if he were a Christian. 
He said: 'T once was. I used to attend the prayer 
meetings and enjoy them as well as any man; and I 
knew what it was to have the love of God shed abroad 
in my heart, but I have got back and lost it all." And 
then he added : "I have never had a happy hour, day 
or night, from that time to this." That was the sad- 
dest testimony I ever heard. 

Neglect is very often the cause of apostasy. A well 
of water can be kept fresh and sweet only by daily use ; 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 7 

and it is equally true of the "well of water springing 
up into everlasting life." Neglect a plant, and it will 
die; neglect a crop, and the weeds will choke it ; neglect 
a road, and it is soon out of repair ; neglect a fire, and 
it will go out; neglect a fence, and it is soon on the 
ground ; neglect a house, and it will rot down ; neglect 
a business, and it will soon run out; and if a man 
neglects his religion it will be gone before he is well 
aware of it. 

Lying in the hospital, I learned the important lesson 
that joints unused for only a few weeks become hard 
and stiff and cannot be used, and it is the work of 
months to limber them up again. My experience led 
me to think that if a man should lie flat down on his 
back, with limbs stretched downward, without moving 
a muscle for two or three months, he would be unable 
to bend a joint. And if a Christian should cease 
prayer, Bible reading, communion with God, church 
attendance, and should not indulge in a religious 
thought or emotion for the same length of time, he 
would be as helpless religiously as the other would be 
physically. 

Backslfdefs 

The leaves of a tree generally drop off when they 
are dead ; not so all members of the church. You may 
sometimes see the dead leaves clinging to a tree all 
through the desolate winter. Beech and oak trees have 
this peculiarity. These dead leaves are the same size 
as live ones, and the same shape, and when the wind 
blows they will make far more noise; yet there is no 



8 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

vital relation between those dead leaves and the tree. 
While the tree is alive the leaves are dead, and they 
only cling to it mechanically, to mar its beauty and 
give it the appearance of death. 

There are many persons clinging to Christ in the 
same fashion, while there is no vital, saving relation 
between them and Christ. There was once, but the 
vital relation has been severed. They still belong to the 
church, like real Christians, and make the same profes- 
sions, only to mar the beauty of the church and give 
it the appearance of death, and awaken the criticism 
of the world. The new life and new leaves of the 
springtime push off these dead leaves, and the tree re- 
news its beauty. So a live church should have power 
betimes to push off these dead members and renew its 
beauty. 

Bad Business 

I well remember a young man who wanted to be a 
Christian, but he carried bottled ale around to hotels 
and saloons, and felt that his business was in the way, 
yet feared that he could not support his family if he 
gave it up. The result was that he halted and hesi- 
tated, but finally went on with the business, and his 
religious impressions disappeared. 

Another young man made a desperate attempt to 
reform a life of intemperance, even considering the 
propriety of becoming a Christian; but he used to 
fiddle for dances during the winter season, and the as- 
sociations always led him astray — he always came 
home intoxicated from these parties. After repeated 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 9 

conversations he decided to go on with the bad busi- 
ness, while sobriety and religion were abandoned, on 
the ground that he could not support his family in any 
other way. 

In all such cases I have strongly advised to cut loose 
from everything evil, do right, and trust God for the 
result. It is well that people understand that a Chris- 
tian man is out of place on a beer wagon and has no 
place in a saloon, on either side of the counter. 

Bible Study 

Scripture is a gold mine of untold dimensions. The: 
gold in some places lies nearer the surface than at 
others; but in every case great labor will be required 
to exhaust the resources of this mine. Well-equipped 
men have been digging for centuries, but there is still 
enough for all. It could not be expected that a divine 
revelation would yield up its treasures without the 
most patient investigation. 

Men devote a lifetime to a single science, or a phase 
of philosophic thought, or an astronomical theory; is 
it unreasonable to ask that they give equal time and 
attention to the mystery of godliness? No man can 
exhaust this mine, but he can dig enough to enrich 
himself eternally. Bible truth must be dug out of the 
mine and incorporated into the memory before it be- 
comes available for practical use. Scripture commit- 
ted to memory is change in the pocket which can be put 
to use at a moment's notice, while Scripture uncom- 
mitted is the gold still in the mine, which must be dug 



10 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

out and minted before it can be used. It is very con- 
venient to have plenty of change in the pocket, and it 
is very useful to have plenty of Scripture in the mem- 
ory. If a friend writes a letter and we leave it 
unopened for months it is our own fault if we do not 
know its contents. 

Bible study must lead us to Christ or it is largely 
useless. To ramble over the pages of the Bible with- 
out finding Christ is like the tourist strolling through 
the aisles and corridors of Westminster Abbey with- 
out finding the famous chapel of Henry the Seventh. 
It is there, somewhere within those ancient walls, a 
thing of beauty — ^perhaps the finest piece of Gothic 
architecture in the world — and the thing which the 
traveler most desires to see in this celebrated abbey. 
But there are many other objects of interest to draw 
him aside. He may linger in the cloisters, over the 
gray tombs of abbots and bishops, he may tarry long 
over the moldering ashes of warlike knights and bar- 
ons, or he may muse in the Poets' Corner among the 
sleeping bards until the shades of evening gather, and 
never penetrate to the central glory of the abbey — ^this 
wonderful chapel. 

And there are in the Bible poetry, eloquence, his- 
tory, philosophy, beauty, sublimity which may engross 
our attention and delay our researches until night 
gathers, and we have never found the highest glory of 
the Bible — ^the royal Christ. Better visit the chapel 
first, and give what time is left to the shady aisles and 
Poets' Corner. Better find Christ first, and afterward 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 11 

search for the poetry and eloquence and literary beauty 
of the Bible. 

Bible study may fall far short of the mark. It is 
the broad steps that lead up to the palace of the King. 
But if we climb up to the very top step and sit down 
there we are not in the palace. We are still outside, 
and the hot sun of summer will beat upon our heads, 
the fierce storms of winter will bujffet us; we shall 
freeze to death at the very threshold of comfort and 
deliverance. 

Bible study is Jacob's ladder, stretching from earth 
to heaven. Though we may climb far up this ladder, 
and stand on a round near the top, we are not yet in 
heaven; and a position on a round of a ladder is a 
very uncomfortable one. 

It is said that a Scotchman committed the whole 
Bible to memory but had no saving knowledge of its 
blessed truths. Unless Bible study brings us to Christ 
as a personal Saviour it misses the very mark that is 
aimed at. Some of the greatest Bible scholars have 
done most to discredit the Bible. The steps are neces- 
sary to reach the palace, but the steps are not the palace. 

Blind People— What They May Do 

I saw a blind man standing at a desk on a street of 
London reading from his raised-letter Bible to the 
passers-by. As that busy, anxious, weary crowd swept 
along the street of the world's metropolis the words 
of the blessed Christ fell on their ears, in the halting 
accents of the blind man : "Come unto me, all ye that 



12 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am 
meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto 
your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is 
light." Chance seed it was, sown at random; but 
God's word does not return unto him void. 

I had as a parishioner a blind man who walked half 
a mile to church twice every Sunday ; and every prayer 
meeting evening his voice was heard in testimony. As 
he felt his way along with a walking-stick he preached 
very loudly to those who looked out of their windows 
and knew well where he was going. 

Blossoms and Fruit 

In raising fruit-bearing trees and vines the thing 
aimed at is fruit, and it will not avail to stop short of 
this. When an apple tree or a grapevine is covered 
with blossoms in the springtime it is a charming sight, 
and the fragrance is exquisite, but this is not the object 
sought after. These beautiful blossoms are only a 
fragrant promise, a poetic prophecy of something bet- 
ter in the autumn time. If this promise is blighted, 
if this prophecy is a delusion, the tree or vine is a 
failure. 

Some fruit trees have this peculiarity: there is a 
profusion of blossoms in the springtime, but the most 
of them drop off after awakening delusive hopes; or, 
after the fruit has set, it blasts and falls to the ground. 
Other trees have fewer blossoms; but every blossom 
represents an apple in the autumn. 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 13 

When the blossoms drop off and become fruitless 
there is always a cause for it. The processes of growth 
somehow fail to gather for the issue the resources of 
nature ; there is a lack of vitality to complete what was 
so well commenced. 

All this aptly illustrates the experiences of the Chris- 
tian life. With some Christians there is an abun- 
dance of blossoms, but they mostly fall off and amount 
to nothing; while others, with much less of promise, 
bear a full measure of fruit. 

And in the Christian life there is always a cause for 
the failure. As the fruitless vine fails to make use of 
the resources of nature, so the fruitless Christian fails 
to maintain a vital connection with Christ and use his 
almighty resources. 

Blanches Broken Off 

I saw by the roadside a large branch that had been 
broken from an apple tree in the late summer by a 
fierce gale. It was covered with apples, but they were 
only about one third grown, and as soon as the branch 
was broken off they ceased to grow and began to 
shrivel to even smaller size. The leaves also had with- 
ered, and every sign of life had disappeared from the 
broken branch. By the time the snows of winter were 
falling it would be brought to the house for fuel. 
Christ says, "If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth 
as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, 
and cast them into the fire, and they are burned." 
Broken branches disfigure the tree from which they 



14 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

are broken, and disfigure the landscape, and so are put 
out of sight. 

The church is surrounded by withered branches, 
its outskirts are hedged by them. These withered 
branches were once on the tree, but they have been 
broken off, and they lie about to trip people who want 
to get into the church. Whoever gets in is obliged to 
break through a hedge of broken branches surround- 
ing the church. 

Christian nurture might save many branches par- 
tially broken off, but harsh treatment will surely sever 
them completely from the tree. I have sometimes 
saved the branches of choice flowers that were crushed 
and broken, and sometimes have failed to do so. We 
are apt to think that it is worth while trying tO' save 
a broken branch. 

My heart has been made to ache many times by the 
harsh treatment accorded wounded Christians. A 
brother gets hurt in the workings of the church, and 
begins to waver. He inclines to turn away from the 
church and from Christ, and some zealous Christian, 
disgusted with such boyish conduct, takes hold of him, 
gives him a good shaking, scolds him roundly, tells 
him he isn't worth bothering with, and he is seen in 
the church no more. I have found scores of broken 
branches lying around the church that were completely 
severed by harsh treatment, when tender nursing 
might have saved them to the church and to Christ. 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 15 

Gate of G>nverts 

I heard of a young man who said he made a great 
mistake when he joined the church, for while the re- 
vival was in progress, and while he was on probation, 
the members used to shake hands with him and invite 
him to tea, and made a great deal of him ; but after he 
had joined the church all this ceased — no more atten- 
tions, and no more tea — and he wished he had re- 
mained on probation. 

Had he remained on probation more than six months 
the young man would have discovered the attentions 
falling away, for a chronic probationer soon comes to 
be an old story, as well as a full member. No person 
should join the church with the expectation of being 
petted continually. He should be ambitious to help 
the church, while receiving encouragement and help 
from the church. 

Church membership affords a splendid opportunity 
for a young man to make the most of himself; and it 
is just as easy to be somebody as to be nobody, to do 
something as to do nothing. The church should afford 
care and culture to its members, and each should be 
proud to contribute his share for the benefit of others. 

Carrying: Everythingf to God 

I was calling at a house, in my pastoral work, when 
a little girl came in from school. She had had trouble 
with a schoolmate, and was trying to choke back the 
sobs, while her cheeks were wet with tears. She hung 



16 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

about the comers of the room as we talked ; and at last 
her mother said, *'Why don't you go out and play?'* 

There was no response, yet she did not go, but rather 
crept slowly around the room nearer to where her 
mother sat. 

At length the mother said, "What is the matter?" 
Taking this as an invitation, the little one ran to her 
mother and whispered all her troubles in her ear. The 
mother wiped away her tears, kissed her, told her to be 
brave and not mind little things; and she ran out to 
play with a happy heart. 

I thought it a beautiful picture of how hundreds are 
going every day to the great Father in their sorrow 
and trouble ; and he wipes away their tears, tells them 
to cheer up, and sends them away to meet the further 
experiences of life. 

Changingf Opmions 

All men are conscious of a constant change of opin- 
ion. A subject drops out of mind for ten years, and 
when it comes back we find that our views upon it have 
entirely changed without our being aware of it. In 
life's journey, with downcast head, we have traveled 
around to the other side of the mountain, and viewing 
it at a different angle, under another condition of sky, 
and with an older heart, it does not look like the same 
peak. We will continue our journey and in after 
years get back to the point of starting, and perhaps 
like the first view better than any other. 

Sometimes a man outgrows his opinions, as a youth 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 17 

outgrows his garments; but we must not suppose, as 
is quite a common notion, that a man outgrows all the 
opinions he sets aside. The man may shrink, or grow 
out of proportion, as old men are apt to do, so that his 
intellectual garments no longer fit him; but the fault 
may be with the man and not the opinions. 

Childten foi* Christ 

A little girl of nine years came forward and gave 
herself to Christ, with the remark, "I have waited too 
long already." I received two sisters into the church 
seven and nine years of age, children of a noble Chris- 
tian man. They gave intelligent answers to all my 
inquiries, and their subsequent lives proved that no 
mistake was made. One of them, after a few years of 
consistent Christian living, went home to heaven; the 
other grew to womanhood, and was for many years an 
active worker in the church. 

One of the most beautiful Christians I have ever 
known was a little girl who died in Christian triumph 
when about six years of age. Her faith was some- 
thing marvelous. She comforted her sorrowing par- 
ents with the assurance that only her body would be 
in the ground; that her spirit would go to be with 
Christ. Her sick room for several days was like 
heaven itself, while words fell from her lips which 
would befit a mature saint. No one who witnessed 
her closing days on earth, and heard her marvelous 
words, can ever doubt the reality of child piety or fail 
to encourage it. 



18 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

At a revival meeting when I was a small lad I heard 
sinners appealed to with great earnestness, and I knew 
very well what it meant. Selecting a number of young 
men of my acquaintance, I wished in my heart that 
they might come to Christ, and thought how sorry 
they would be on the deathbed or at the judgment if 
they did not come. One in particular, who was about 
twenty-five years of age, said he meant to be a Chris- 
tian sometime, but not then. At seventy-five he was 
still unsaved. The preacher in all the services said 
nothing about children coming to Christ, and so I 
stayed away, although greatly moved by the truth 
presented in his sermons. 

A lady told me that when her little boy was twelve 
years of age he wanted to take up the Christian life 
publicly and join the church, but she thought him too 
young, and held him back. When she told me the 
story he was forty-two years old, and a very wicked 
man, She expressed the deepest regret that she had 
not encouraged him to come to Christ when his incli- 
nations led him that way. 

Childhood Trust 

There is no more beautiful sight than a child rest- 
ing in its father's arms. And that rest means some- 
thing more than physical rest, which mere sleep might 
secure. If this were all the child would better rest in 
its crib, which would be much more comfortable. 
There is a far deeper meaning in the longing which the 
child has to creep into its father's arms and go to sleep. 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 19 

Even when the child has been punished, it will at once 
climb into the father's arms, and with a deep sigh 
cuddle down to rest. It is spiritual rest which the child 
craves, and it rests in the father's love more sweetly 
than in his arms. 

Let this child grow up to be a young man just enter- 
ing Hfe, just beginning to battle with the realities of 
life; and you will see him now and then returning, 
weary, disheartened, almost discouraged, to have a 
good talk with the old gray-haired father in whose 
arms he lay in infancy, and who has been along the 
rugged path of Hfe before him. 

This father love is not a permanent thing, and we 
learn by it to look higher, to a heavenly Father who 
never grows old. Christians may look to God with 
the same confidence and trust which children have for 
earthly parents. They may rest in his smile and may 
fly to his arms even when his chastisements fall. 

Choosing: Oat Destiny 

Men try in various ways to dodge the terrible re- 
sponsibility which God has put upon them of choosing 
their own destiny. A man takes liquor and as a conse- 
quence is made drunk; but he says, "I don't choose 
drunkenness ; I choose the liquor," when he very well 
knows that to choose the liquor means drunkenness. 
A man is sick and refuses to send for a physician or 
take medicine; but he says, *'I don't choose to die; I 
simply refuse to take the medicine." A man knows 
that a precipice lies directly across his path, but he shuts 



20 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

his eyes and marches straight forward; then he says, 
*1 don't choose to go over a precipice ; but I am deter- 
mined to go in this direction." 

And the sinner knows that sin leads to death. God's 
word declares it: "The wages of sin is death;" "Sin 
when it is finished bringeth forth death." But the sin- 
ner says, *T don't choose death ; I simply choose to fol- 
low my own inclinations and do as I please." Men 
cannot shirk their responsibility in any such way, but 
must work out their own destinies. 

Shakespeare says, "Our bodies are our gardens, to 
the which our wills are gardeners : so that if we plant 
nettles, or sow lettuce ; set hyssop, or weed up thyme ; 
supply it with one gender of herbs, or distract it with 
many, either to have it sterile with idleness, or manured 
with industry — why, the power and corrigible author- 
ity of this lies in our wills." 

Another says, "I don't choose at all in the matter; I 
simply do nothing, and let things take their course." 
But we must choose to do nothing. 

Christ a Universal Saviottr 

It has been the boast of Christians that our Saviour 
with divine wisdom and tact adapts himself to all 
classes and conditions of men. As he revealed himself 
to his disciples little by little as they were able to bear 
it, so he reveals himself to all men as they are able to 
receive him. Simrock, the Rhine poet, has a brief 
poem which beautifully illustrates this thought. I 
have turned it into English as follows : 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 21 

The legend have you never heard, 

So famous in all lands, 
About the image of our Lord, 

That in Vienna stands? 
They say it grows to be as tall 

As are the tallest who adore it, 
And yet it stoops to be as small 

As any child who stands before it. 

I know not whether there be such 

An image, but believe 
That Christ himself appears to each 

What each can best receive. 
A child with children he has been, 

And so the children need not fear him; 
With men he was the Prince of men, 

And so the strongest gladly hear him. 

Chtist^s Gospel 

The Gospel centers around Him whose name it 
bears. It is emphatically the Gospel of Christ. 

The sunlight derives its peculiarities from the sun, 
and is different from all other lights. It goes where 
earthly lights cannot go. It penetrates the dark forest, 
it flashes along the murky alleys, it creeps behind closed 
shutters, it finds its way into the cellars and garrets of 
earth to cheer their dismal inmates. We try to pro- 
vide substitutes for it in the nighttime, but what miser- 
able work we make of it. We can light up a room, or 
a few rods of space about us, but darkness envelops 
the earth in spite of our best endeavors. Darkness is 
death, and earthly lights would not suffice to keep ani- 
mals and vegetables alive for any length of time. But 
the sun arises, and a world of vegetation smiles be- 



22 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

neath its influence ; animals and men flourish and grow 
in the blessed sunlight. 

In like manner the Sun of righteousness arises on 
our moral world — not an earthly light, but a heav- 
enly — to scatter moral darkness, and promote spiritual 
light in the hearts of men. Christ comes to do what 
Plato, and Buddha, and Zoroaster, and Mohammed 
could not do; and beneath the light of this heavenly 
Sun the spiritual desert is made to "rejoice, and blos- 
som as the rose." 

Christ in Us 

The fact that we find him in our souls is a proof 
that God's favor rests upon us. And if he dwells there 
we shall know it. Our hearts are not so large that 
Christ can dwell there without making himself known. 
The King with his royal train cannot enter the cotter's 
hut without a revolution ; the glorious sunlight cannot 
enter a darkened room without a transformation. And 
when He whom the heavens cannot limit comes into 
these hearts of ours it will cause such a commotion that 
we shall know something has taken place. 

He comes to cleanse from sin, and as well may we 
be unconscious of house-cleaning as of the fact that 
a divine agent is working in our souls to cleanse them 
from the defilements of sin. The absence of some of 
our former guests will be a sign of his presence. He 
will bring with him a royal train of heavenly graces, 
and these will declare his presence. New friends, new 
guests, will certify the great change which his coming 
has wrought. 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 23 

And then the indwelling Christ will speak to us, 
and we shall learn to distinguish his voice from all 
others. *'My sheep hear my voice." Would it not be 
strange if it were otherwise? I heard of a man who 
lived in the same house with his brother, and worked 
with him in the same fields, and did not speak to him 
for ten years. Christ does not dwell in our hearts 
after this fashion. If he dwells there at all he will 
speak to us; there will be conscious and friendly 
communion. 

Chtist^s Kingdom 

When England and Scotland were separate king- 
doms they had separate thrones, and all the appliances 
of distinct governments. But when the kingdom of 
England absorbed that of Scotland, and the two na- 
tions were consolidated into one empire, then the 
throne, crown, and regalia of Scotland went to enhance 
the glory of British royalty; and a magic stone on 
which the kings of Scotland were crowned for centu- 
ries is the seat on which English sovereigns now sit 
for coronation; while the poetry and philosophy of 
Scotland have added largely to the glory of the em- 
pire and its inhabitants have greatly strengthened the 
nation. 

And when Christ's kingdom shall be delivered up 
to the Father it will most grandly enhance the glory of 
the Sovereign of the universe. It will add the great 
company of the redeemed to his loyal subjects ; it will 
send out multitudes of happy spirits to rejoice in the 
works of God; it will add millions of voices to the 



24 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

great choir that is filling the universe with praise. 
Christ did not come to earth for nothing. His mission 
was a success, and he returns laden with immortal 
spoils. 

Chfist Out Jiid^c 

Christ's qualifications for the duties of judge are 
found in the fact that he is the equal of both parties in 
the contest, and allied to both. He has a Godward 
side and a manward side, and is in full sympathy with 
both God and man. This is a very important matter, 
if he is to judge between them. 

A judge may be the equal of both parties in a suit, 
and may be equally allied by blood to both, and yet 
have no sympathy with either party; or he may have 
sympathy with one but not with the other. Where this 
is the case the ends of justice can never be fully met. 
A judge must be absolutely impartial. He must have 
equal sympathy with both parties. If he has a preju- 
dice against either that party is likely to suffer in his 
decision. 

An English judge would find it difificult to decide 
impartially between an Englishman and a Russian, or 
between an Englishman and an American. 

In the Geneva Award arbitration and the Canadian 
Fishery Commission it was noticeable that the Amer- 
ican and English commissioners always voted in favor 
of their own country, while the commissioners from 
other countries, who were supposed to be impartial, 
had to give the casting vote. 

And in the celebrated Electoral Commission which 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 25 

decided whether Mr. Hayes or Mr. Tilden was elected 
to the Presidency it was a subject of universal regret 
that on every vital point the judges, some of them 
members of the Supreme Court, voted every time in 
favor of their own political party. Neither side could 
blame the other, for both did it. We have too many 
evidences that human judges, even of the highest char- 
acter and qualifications, are not always impartial. 

Christ as judge gave overwhelming evidence while 
on earth that he is in full sympathy with the benevolent 
plans of God for the salvation of men. He and the 
Father are one. They think the same thoughts and 
work the same works. 

On the other hand, it will need no argument to sat- 
isfy us that Christ is in full sympathy with fallen hu- 
manity. He took our nature that he might suffer and 
die in our interests ; and left this one unanswered and 
unanswerable challenge: ^'Greater love hath no man 
than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." 
We may depend upon it that our Judge will be 
impartial. 

Christ Out Pattern 

In some of the brush factories of Lansingburg are 
machines for cutting brush handles into a given shape. 
In doing this there is always a pattern handle, neatly 
carved to the shape required, and the others are mod- 
eled after this. A rough piece of wood is placed in the 
machine, and then it is pressed against the pattern, 
following it through all its curves and angles, while 
the saws and knives cut it into the exact shape of the 



26 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

model. The success of the operation depends on accu- 
rately following the outline of the pattern. 

Christian discipline is intended to conform us to the 
perfect divine pattern which is presented to us in the 
life and character of Christ. We cannot improve on 
this pattern, and we shall go astray if we vary from it. 
Too many lose sight of the heavenly pattern and fol- 
low some human model that looms up before them. 

During our civil war a soldier marching in line 
made a curve to avoid a pool of water that was in his 
path, and the captain called out, *'Keep in line there." 
The soldier could only answer that he was following 
his file leader. We are very apt to go around the 
hard places, instead of stepping exactly where Christ 
stepped, and then point to some other delinquent as 
an excuse. 

In marked contrast was the course of another sol- 
dier, a tent-mate and very dear friend. In the pres- 
ence of the enemy the line was commanded to lie down 
for the night with accouterments on, in the place which 
had been designated. This soldier found that his place 
in the line was in the middle of a puddle of water, and 
in the puddle he spread his blanket and lay down; 
neither backward nor forward, to the right nor to the 
left, but exactly on the post of duty he took his place, 
however disagreeable it might be. We can surely 
afford to stand where Christ stood, and go where he 
went. We shall make no mistake if we follow our 
Divine Pattern. 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 27 

Christ the Light of the World 

In the practice of medicine in these days physicians 
are more and more ordering their patients to leave the 
darkness and get into the light; come out from the 
shade of trees and curtained rooms into the bright sun- 
shine. The sun bath is a favorite and valuable remedy 
for many sick people. 

In spiritual sickness there are health and joy in the 
light of the Sun of righteousness. 

Christ is the inner light of the soul. We are to "put 
on" Christ as our external beauty, but first we must 
have Christ formed within. There is little use trying 
to decorate the exterior while the soul is in darkness. 

During the Centennial year people decorated their 
houses very extensively, and illuminated at night. The 
curtains were drawn to the full height, the blinds were 
thrown back, mottoes, colored lanterns, and decora- 
tions were hung in the windows, and everything was 
prepared for a gorgeous display. Night came on, and 
all the houses looked alike in the darkness. The deco- 
rations were there, but they were invisible. Then the 
gas was lit inside, and a brilliant spectacle was the 
result. 

In like manner the light of Christ shining in the 
human soul brings into conspicuous beauty the physical 
and intellectual endowments of human nature. Christ 
in the soul brightens the countenance, sharpens the 
intellect, refines the taste, and every way tends to make 
people more brilliant and lovely. 



28 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

I knew an awkward, ugly-looking, ignorant man 
who admitted Christ to his soul, and forthwith he 
turned up an usher in the church, bowing people to 
their seats with grace and dignity, and his little talks 
in prayer meetings contained more of Scripture than 
did any others. 

Chtistian Fellowship 

The members of a family come to know each other 
thoroughly. There is little room for concealment. 
Each family has its secrets, but they are known to all 
the members of the household. And the family enjoys 
gathering about the fireside and talking over matters 
that pertain to themselves alone. It is these close so- 
cial relations that cause us to look back to childhood 
as the happiest period of life. 

As a member of a large family, I well recall how 
brothers and sisters, when the labors of the day were 
ended, used to gather close together, in the "gloam- 
ing," to talk and visit as only brothers and sisters can. 
And when a part of the family had grown to manhood 
and womanhood, and gone forth to life's duties, we 
used for many years to have a reunion once a year, 
during the vacation days of summer, when, during a 
few weeks, we would wander over the old farm to 
live over again the happy days of childhood. 

But there came a time when the family was scattered 
over this great country, and for many years these re- 
unions did not take place; and now the ranks are 
broken and we shall never all meet again on earth. 

The Church of God is a family of a larger sort and 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 29 

wider experience. The members of this great family 
ought to know and love each other thoroughly. 

And I sometimes think that Methodist preachers 
are peculiarly fortunate ; for they go to a place for a 
few years and form the acquaintance of the best people 
in town: then they go to another place and another, 
until at the end of a long ministry they have made the 
acquaintance of hundreds of the choicest spirits of 
earth. And when they get to heaven they will not be 
strangers there ; for they will find a great number gone 
on before whose friendship they formed on earth ; and 
many more will follow after. 

It is not a stretch of fancy that these friendships 
formed on earth can be perfected and perpetuated in 
the better country. The family of God will come in 
from the outskirts, when life's day is done, and gather 
closer about the good Father's throne. This must 
mean a fuller knowledge of each other, a closer inti- 
macy and fellowship; and these will inevitably lead to 
better appreciation, warmer friendship, and pro- 
founder love. It must be that when God's children 
come to know each other fully they will appreciate and 
love each other as they cannot here, where so many 
misunderstandings arise and so many screens neces- 
sarily separate them from each other. 

Christian Philanthropy 

Christian philanthropy has a character all its own. 
A stranger comes to me in want of relief. I hear his 
story and conclude that he is really needy, deciding at 



30 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

the same time that I will help him because he is a fel- 
low-man and needs my help. Before I have time to 
announce my decision he takes from his pocket an 
autograph letter from the dearest friend I have on 
earth — one I love, and have confidence in, and would 
do very much to please. The letter reads: "I am 
acquainted with the bearer of this, and know him to 
be really needy. I am interested in him, and any favor 
you may show him will be regarded as a favor to your 
friend." 

I now have two motives for helping this man ; first, 
because he is a fellow-man, and, second, because my 
friend has indorsed him ; so that I can help the man and 
honor my friend in the same act. Likewise the Chris- 
tian helps his fellow-man because he is a fellow-man, 
and also because Christ has asked him to do it, and will 
accept the favor as done to himself. He both helps 
his fellow and honors his Saviour in the same act. 

There are many who help their fellows, but have no 
thought of Christ in what they do. Their works of 
charity may well be commended, but the motives are 
all human. They do not look Godward in what they 
do. Men have a duty to their fellows which they can- 
not escape, but they have a duty to God likewise; and 
doing the one duty does not perform the other. If I 
owe both George Smith and John Jones, paying Smith 
does not pay Jones. When our attitude toward God 
and our fellows may be such that we can perform our 
duties to both in the same act it would seem best to 
have it so. 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 31 

Chufch of God 

By the Church of God is meant not any particular 
corporation that bears such a name, but the entire com- 
pany of believers of every name and nation. As all the 
oceans constitute but one body of water, so the children 
of God of all names and climes constitute the universal 
Church which is the object of God's special love. 

The tide reaches all oceans, bays, and inlets along 
the shores of all continents and islands; and so the 
Spirit's blessed influence reaches every body of Chris- 
tians and every individual Christian. 

The tide rises higher in some bays than in others, to 
be sure, and rushes on with a more majestic flow ; but 
it is the same celestial influence which rests on Chris- 
tians everywhere; there is "one Lord, one faith, one 
baptism" for the entire Church of God. 

Church of G^d sl Light 

The Church is necessarily a beacon to guide men. 
Multitudes are ready to follow the teachings and ex- 
ample of the Church; so that it becomes either a true 
light or a false. A railroad train is sweeping along 
the track at the rate of fifty miles an hour. It nears a 
signal station where a light is run up to indicate that 
the track is clear and all right ahead. The train 
sweeps past the switch, rushes over rivers and through 
valleys, and reaches its distant destination in safety. 
But if that light had been a false light, indicating that 
all was well when all was not well, the thundering 



32 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

train would have taken the wrong track and swept on 
to certain destruction. 

Such a signal station is a church in eveiy commu- 
nity. As the rapid tide of human society sweeps past 
it is a signal light to guide in the right or the wrong 
direction. If the church teaches in its doctrines and by 
the example of its members the pure truths of Chris- 
tianity, it is a true light, pointing the multitudes to 
the path of safety ; but if its teachings are misleading, 
and its example vicious, it is a false light which will 
lure the people to destruction. 

Communion with God 

What men need is some means of communication 
with God that is unmistakable. They need some voice 
which shall be known to be the voice of God speaking 
to them, for the human cannot bear to be cut loose 
from the divine. The soul of man must hear the voice 
of God or it dwells in desolation. 

There is a tradition among the Hindus that man 
was made at first so tall that his head brushed the 
heavens, and he could converse with the inhabitants 
of heaven. When he fell he could still hear the 
conversation of heaven, and it so distressed him 
that God in mercy shortened him down to his present 
stature. 

But now, under the Gospel, we are growing tall 
again, so that our conversation shall be in heaven as 
of old, and men are listening for the voice of God 
once more. 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 33 

Some open the pages of the sacred book and listen 
there for the divine voice. 

Some put their ear against the breast of nature, and 
listen for the beatings of the great divine heart. 
Mrs. Browning says : 

"Earth's crammed with heaven, 
And every common bush afire with God ; 
But only he who sees takes off his shoes." 

Wordsworth develops the thought at greater 

length : 

"I have seen 
A curious child, who dwelt upon a tract 
Of upland ground, applying to his ear 
The convolutions of a smooth-lipped shell, 
To which, in silence hushed, his very soul 
Listened intensely; and his countenance soon 
Brightened with joy; for from within were heard 
Murmurings, whereby the monitor expressed 
Mysterious union with its native sea. 
Even such a shell the universe itself 
Is to the ear of faith; and there are times, 
I doubt not, when to you it doth impart 
Authentic tidings of invisible things: 
Of ebb and flow, and ever-during power; 
And central peace, subsisting at the heart 
Of endless agitation. Here you stand, 
Adore and worship, when you know it not; 
Pious beyond the intention of your thought; 
Devout above the meaning of your will." 

The Christian hears the voice of God speaking from 
the pages of his word; he hears it whispering or thun- 
dering from the great sounding-board of nature; but, 
better than all this, he may hear the still small voice 



34 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

of the Spirit speaking to him, and may hold com- 
munion with God in the secret depths of his own 
nature. 

G)ncealment 

The ever-varying face of a child will reveal every 
thought that passes in the mind. If anger stirs there 
the face will flush in a moment, and hot words will 
break from the lips. Envy will leave its dark shadow 
on the features. Sudden surprise brings with it the 
look and attitude of astonishment. Grief and disap- 
pointment sadden the features, while pleasure or joy 
brightens them with the radiance of sunshine. Thus 
the face of the child is an index by which we can read 
the changing moods of the heart. 

But the child does not live many years until it learns 
that it is very inconvenient to have people read all the 
thoughts and emotions that pass in the breast. And so 
it begins to teach its face to tell falsehoods, or at least 
to conceal the truth. The result of this kind of school- 
ing varies in different individuals, but in those most 
thoroughly disciplined it induces a marble expression 
of countenance which is never changed by the chang- 
ing emotions of the heart. Envy, hatred, joy, sorrow, 
surprise, thankfulness, love, fear, hope cause not the 
slightest ripple on the frozen surface. 

Every minister of Christ preaches to such statues. 
I preached in a strange church and a man with such a 
blank face sat near the front, and during the entire 
service there was not the least change of expression. 
He produced a depressing effect, for I could not shut 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 35 

out that blank face from my view. I was greatly sur- 
prised at the close of the sermon when he came for- 
ward and, with the same expressionless countenance, 
told me how much he had enjoyed the sermon. 

Within certain limits this self-concealment is a 
proper self-control, but it must not be carried so far as 
to become wicked deception. We may agree with the 
shrewd remark of Bacon, that the face ought to let the 
tongue do the talking. We must be honest, but need 
not be transparent. A piece of ground glass is just as 
honest as a window pane, but people cannot see 
through it as well. The friction of life is very apt to 
grind the transparency from the surface, so that people 
cannot see through us at their pleasure, but no expe- 
riences must be suffered to destroy thorough honesty 

of soul. 

Conilicts of Ttuth 

What keeps the ocean from becoming corrupt has 
been an interesting and not easily answered question. 
Science intimates that the purity of its waters is due 
to the salt it contains and to the currents that flow 
through it. This answer makes it necessary to raise 
a further question respecting the cause of the currents 
of the ocean ; for the ocean has its rivers as well as the 
land. This question has not been so satisfactorily 
answered. 

One answer has been given which, whether correct 
or not, will serve as an illustration of a great truth. 
It is asserted by some that the salt is the cause of the 
currents, and consequently the salt is the sole cause of 



36 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

the purity of the ocean. It is asserted that evaporation 
takes only pure water from the ocean and leaves all 
the salt behind. As evaporation takes place much 
more rapidly at the equator than elsewhere the waters 
at this part of the ocean are constantly becoming more 
and more salt, and consequently heavier. Being 
heavier, they will sink down and leave space at the 
surface which the surrounding waters will flow in to 
fill. In this way there is a constant flow of heavier 
waters toward the poles and a constant flow of lighter 
surface waters toward the equator. Thus the ocean is 
kept in continual agitation by these currents. 

Whether this be a true theory or not, it is a good 
illustration of the influence of Christianity in the world. 
The salt of the Gospel has from the beginning pro- 
duced great commotion. It has filled the world with 
currents and counter-currents. Christ predicted that 
families should be divided, and brother rise against 
brother. It can hardly be otherwise. Truth and error 
are face to face in deadly array ; and so long as there 
is evil in the world, and Christianity tries to cure the 
evil, there will be commotion. When commotion 
ceases we may be sure that either the Church or the 
world has given up the contest. 

G)nsciousncss of God^s Presence 

I was making quite a long journey in a carriage 
with one of our children when she was only a few 
years old. Night came on, and I put my arm about 
her, and drew her close to my side, and in that position 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 37 

she went to sleep. After a while she waked up, and 
the first question was, 'Tapa, where is your hand ?" It 
was about her as firmly as ever, but it had been there 
so long that she had lost the consciousness of its pres- 
ence. I gave her a squeeze with it, which restored her 
consciousness, and she said no more. 

I thought it an apt illustration of how we lose the 
consciousness of God's protecting care. We have be- 
come so accustomed to the ordinary protection of his 
providence as to forget that his arm is about us all the 
time. The everyday mercies of life count for nothing, 
and we cry out in fear, *' Where is the divine hand?" 
Then in mercy God tightens the loving arm, and we 
discover that it has been about us all the time, but our 
earthly senses had become so dull as no longer to feel 
the pressure. 

Cowragfc 

Phrenologists in reading men's characters by the 
"bumps" of the head estimate their courage by two dif- 
ferent standards. They will mark the courage when 
passive by one figure, and the courage when aroused 
by a much higher figure. Great cowards will do heroic 
deeds when under a powerful impulse. Many well- 
meaning men are moral cowards, who need to keep 
their courage thoroughly aroused and use means to 
accomplish that desirable end. It is not uncommon to 
hear persons, when under religious excitement, de- 
clare that they would not give up the religion of Christ 
for ten thousand worlds like this ; and while under that 
impulse it is probable that they would not. Yet many 



38 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

such persons, in an unguarded moment, will let a 
schoolmate, or a fellow-workman, or a companion 
frighten them out of their religion. Such persons 
ought to know their weakness, and keep themselves un- 
der a religious impulse all the time. 

A young Swede Avas converted in meetings that I 
was holding, and so far as man can judge got a good 
start in the religious life, which continued for some 
months. But fellow-workmen taunted him day after 
day, until, losing his patience, he broke forth into pro- 
fane curses, and that was the end of religion for him. 
No amount of persuasion could induce him to return to 
his Christian duties. 

Criticism in the Social Meetingfs 

There are no circumstances where criticism is more 
out of place than in the social meetings of the church. 
The Indians used to compel their prisoners to run the 
gauntlet. The warriors were drawn up in two lines, 
facing each other, while the unarmed prisoner was 
compelled to run between the lines, and as he passed 
each redskin hurled his spear or tomahawk at him. If 
the man came through alive it proved that he was made 
of good stuff. 

If a man or woman must pray and speak in the so- 
cial meetings in the face of the fact that what he says 
will be canvassed by the hearers on their way home, 
and criticised in an unfriendly spirit, only the most he- 
roic will subject themselves to such an experience. 
Many persons thoughtlessly allow themselves to crit- 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 39 

icise what is said in the social meetings without con- 
sidering how much mischief may result from such a 
course, 

A brother once wanted a local preacher's license, and 
asked the privilege of speaking to the people some 
evening so that they might judge whether he was 
worthy. One prayer meeting night the pastor was 
sick, and said to the brother, "The meeting is yours to- 
night; go ahead and speak to the people." He read 
a very ornate kind of a discourse, and spoiled the 
meeting for everybody but himself. As he was closing 
the meeting he rubbed his hands together in glee, and 
said, "I hope you have all had a good meeting ; I have, 
for one." 

He had had a good meeting because he made the 
meeting himself and was in sympathy with his own 
work. The rest all had a miserable meeting because 
they came to watch him, and criticise him, and were 
not in sympathy with him or what he was saying. If 
a Christian is to enjoy the social meetings of the church 
he must be in sympathy with those who sit about him 
and with what is going on. 

Cfosses 

Crosses affect different people very differently. If 
a log is thrown across a narrow stream the water does 
not hesitate a moment to press against it, and boil un- 
der and over it with great commotion. When an ob- 
stacle is thrown across the current of a man's life the 
result is very much the same. He resents it, and is 



40 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

likely to make much noise and commotion. Whatever 
crosses his plans and purposes is counted as an enemy. 
Some men never learn better, but continue to fight 
whatever opposes them as long as the power to fight 
remains. Others learn by experience that obstacles 
which check or turn the current of their thoughts and 
purposes may be the greatest blessings. 

I heard a commonplace man say in prayer meeting, 
"I should hate to have my own way." I thought it at 
the time a strange remark, but have come to consider 
it an unusual exhibition of common sense. Most peo- 
ple want nothing so much as their own way. It is only 
the few who learn that their way may be the very 
worst way. At any rate, when it is made clearly mani- 
fest that God is crossing our plans and purposes we 
ought to welcome the crosses. 

Ctoss-bearingf 

In the Sunday school room of a church I had the 
pleasure of studying an engraving which very aptly 
illustrates cross-bearing. A variegated landscape is 
presented, with a pathway leading across it ; and at the 
farther end of the path, in the dim distance, is an 
illumination to represent heaven. There is a pile of 
crosses in the foreground ; and an angel stands by them 
holding a cross in one hand and with the other points 
up the path, as if to say, "There is the road to heaven, 
but you must take a cross with you." 

A number of persons, each carrying a cross, are 
already traveling along this road ; and, true to life, the 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 41 

one farthest along the road to the celestial city is a 
woman. Next we see a man and a woman traveling 
side by side — a beautiful sight. Just behind them is a 
man down on his knees with a saw, trying to saw off 
a piece of his cross. It is too heavy. Then comes a 
little girl clasping a cross across her breast as if she 
loved it. Then there is a man who has picked up a 
cross, and he stands leaning against it, with his back 
toward heaven and his face toward the world. 

Another man stands by the pile of crosses with his 
hand up to his head, and a look of distress on his coun- 
tenance. A large cross lies before him, but he seems 
to think it too heavy. In marked contrast two little 
children are running up to the crosses, eager to bear 
them. Just behind them a proud-looking man is walk- 
ing away. The whole matter seems entirely beneath 
his notice. 

Another man is trying to get to the crosses, but a 
woman is holding him back. Every pastor has seen 
this sad sight a few times in his ministry. Still 
others — ^young ladies and gentlemen — ^have looked the 
crosses over, but are walking away together. It is no 
uncommon thing for love affairs to keep persons from 
the religious life. 

This engraving may not be a work of art of great 
merit, but it represents with great faithfulness what 
may be seen in the history of every church. 



42 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

Death No Respecter of Persons 

One day, in a filthy garret of a great city, a little in- 
fant died of smallpox, in squalor and misery, and was 
buried in the potter's field. On the same day, of the 
same disease, died the infant son of Thebaw, the Bur- 
mese king. This child slept in a cradle of gold in- 
crusted with diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and emeralds, 
of incredible value. Vast sums were spent on the child, 
and all the people living near the palace stockade were 
required to buy new cooking kettles, lest the smell of 
rancid oil from the old ones should offend his tender 
little nostrils. Death called for him and the beggar's 
child the same day, and by the same loathsome 
messenger. 

In a New York village lived side by side for forty 
or fifty years a very rich man and a very poor woman. 
His life was spent in raking together riches, and he 
met with large success. He was not very careful about 
the means employed, and some of his wealth properly 
belonged to his poor neighbors. Her life was spent in 
toiling early and late for the bare necessaries of life, 
and sometimes her friends came to her assistance. 
Once when she was especially destitute her neighbors 
undertook to raise something for her, and they went to 
this rich man for a little aid, but he refused. 

One cold, boisterous March, when fatal diseases 
were very prevalent, they both contracted the same dis- 
ease and died about the same time. His last words 
were, "Give me a receipt ; I demand the money." One 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 43 

sweep of death's scythe cut them both down, like a 
rose and a thistle which had long been neighbors. 

Denommations of Chtistians 

The best way to put our whole broad country under 
thorough cultivation is for each farmer thoroughly to 
cultivate his own patch. If a farmer should say, "I'll 
take broad views of the welfare of the country, and not 
confine myself to one little farm," and in harmony with 
this theory should cultivate everywhere in general and 
nowhere in particular, he would fail as a farmer, and 
probably come to want. 

His broad theory of the thorough cultivation of the 
whole country is a good one ; but the best way to carry 
it out is to cultivate his own farm thoroughly and let 
his neighbors do the same. He must not envy his 
neighbors, or hate them, or quarrel with them, but let 
them do their work and he do his. In this way a 
wholesome rivalry among the farmers would result in 
larger crops and a better cultivation of the soil. All 
this applies to the various branches of the Church. 

A man can best help the universal Church by 
putting all his energies into some particular branch of 
it, and into some local church organization. It is not 
given to many men to exert an influence over the broad 
universal Church. Our voices are not loud enough to 
reach the ends of the earth ; our influence is not great 
enough to be felt in all lands; we must do our work 
within a smaller circumference. Neighboring work- 
men in the great spiritual vineyard should not envy 



44 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

each other, or hate each other, or quarrel with each 
other; but love each other, and incite each other to 
good works. 

Discouragfcment 

Discouragement very frequently arises from meet- 
ing obstacles that were not anticipated. A traveler 
sees in the distance a bold mountain peak stretching up 
into the clouds of heaven, and is filled with a noble 
ambition to climb it. It looks like an easy task. It 
seems only a short distance, and only necessary to walk 
up the green sloping side, and the task is accomplished. 
He begins the ascent, but before he has proceeded far 
he finds himself running into deep ravines, which lead 
hither and thither. The mountain top is lost to view, 
and he cannot tell whether he is going up or down. 
The farther he proceeds the more tangled and rugged 
the way becomes. His strength begins to fail, and a 
feeling takes possession of his mind that the worst is 
yet before him, and he cannot accomplish the task. He 
turns away and leaves unaccomplished what recently 
seemed so desirable. 

It must be a perpetual humiliation to live at the base 
of a mountain which one has tried in vain to climb, and 
see its proud peak smile down contemptuously day 
after day. Yet many men live all their lives under 
the shadow of mountains which they have failed to 
climb. They must continually look back to something 
which they commenced but were not able to finish, be- 
cause they became discouraged and ceased to make 
an effort. 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 45 

The folly of such discouragement lies in the fact that 
it very frequently leads men to give up the contest 
when they are very near victory. The most and great- 
est obstacles generally lie at the beginning of an enter- 
prise; and men often struggle on till they are almost 
through the difficulties, and then give up in despair, 
when a few more efforts would have brought success. 
A man tried to cross a marsh in the nighttime. He 
floundered on through mud and water for a half mile 
or more, and thinking he would never get across it 
became discouraged, and floundered all the way back 
again. The next morning he was chagrined to find 
that he had got almost across the night before, and had 
he gone a few rods farther he would have reached solid 
ground. 

Men bore for oil to great depths in the earth. The 
drill makes its way down through the solid rock many 
hundreds of feet. Six inches more, perhaps, will bring 
it to the oil reservoir, and abundantly repay their 
months of toil. But they do not know that fact, and 
in discouragement move their machinery to another 
field. Here they drill long and laboriously, but get 
discouraged, and go to another place. Thus they con- 
tinue to drill holes in the ground without accomplish- 
ing any definite result or reaching any reward. Such 
is the lifework of many men — many things attempted 
but nothing accomplished. 

This is only too common a spectacle in the Chris- 
tian life. Many commence well — and many commence 
well more than once — ^but become discouraged and 



46 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

make a failure of that which reasonable effort and per- 
sistence might have accomplished. 

Divine Guidance 

I remember a strange experience while sailing on 
Loch Lomond, the most beautiful of the Scottish lakes. 
It is a charming sheet of water, full of small rocky 
islands, while the shore is a series of points and head- 
lands that run out into the lake. At no place can you 
see a great expanse of water, but are led along from 
one basin to another, now passing near the shore, now 
almost grazing a dangerous rock, and now darting 
through a narrow channel between rocky islands into 
clear water again. 

Many times it seemed as if we were running into an 
angle of the land and must be dashed to pieces ; but at 
the last moment, by a happy turn of the wheel, we 
rounded some point and found a narrow channel of es- 
cape. We were no sooner out of one dilemma than we 
were into another ; but there was in the end a way out 
of them all, and we reached our destination in safety. 
The pilot knew the way out of every difficulty, though 
we did not. 

I thought it a beautiful picture of God's guidance 
over his children. They must meet dangers and 
troubles, they must be at their wit's end many times, 
but God will at length find them a way out of all dan- 
gers, and they will safely make the harbor by and by. 
God never lets us see far ahead, but he does better; he 
sees far ahead and teaches us to trust him. 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 47 

Dfvlne Powct in the Chwtch 

Many years ago I visited the Burden Iron Works in 
South Troy and looked with wonder at a mighty 
water wheel, sixty feet in diameter, which slowly and 
majestically revolved on its axis and kept in motion 
the entire system of machinery with the power of two 
thousand horses. I tried to listen for the tumbling 
waters which could drive such a vast wheel, but could 
hear nothing. I went about the building several times 
to find the mighty Niagara which could turn such a 
water wheel. At length my attention was attracted to 
a cylinder about three feet in diameter, whose moist 
appearance indicated that it contained water. A guard 
told me that the water which turned the wheel passed 
through this cylinder. 

But my wonder was only increased, for the cylinder, 
instead of pointing down on to the wheel from above, 
pointed up from below, the water being much lower 
than the wheel. The first question to suggest itself 
was, If this water drives the wheel, what power drives 
the water up on to the wheel? This question was 
answered when I learned that the fountain head from 
which the water came was off among the distant hills, 
far above the whole establishment; and I remembered 
the principle of physics that water confined in tubes 
has power to rise as high as its source. 

All these years this great water wheel has illustrated 
to me the Church of God, which is run not by human, 
but by divine, power. Men and women neither gifted, 



48 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

nor eloquent, nor attractive, accomplish most marvel- 
ous results in saving and lifting up mankind, and it is 
a common thing to ask what is the secret of their 
power. Many answers are given, but there is only 
one true answer : The mighty power of God is work- 
ing in them and through them. The Church is a 
power for good in the world only so far as it com- 
mands the saving power of God for sinful men. 

The question of Mr. Moody's success has been 
under discussion for years. There is only one answer : 
He, somehow, commanded divine power for his work. 

Envifonment 

We must believe that many of the poorest and 
humblest here will shine most brightly in heaven. The 
circumstances of the present life do not afford them 
favorable opportunities. The same principle is illus- 
trated in the affairs of the world. A boy at work on 
the farm was pronounced lazy and inefficient, but sent 
to school he soon took first rank as a scholar and rose 
to distinction in a professional career. 

Our civil war showed this most plainly. A com- 
pany of men went from the same town, and this was 
the record: Those who were considered as most tal- 
ented, and leaders in civil life, often sank into insig- 
nificance as soldiers ; while those of the humblest pre- 
tensions at home often rose to be the best soldiers. It 
likewise appears in the case of the generals of the war : 
Those who, from their previous positions, stepped in- 
to command of the army at the commencement of the 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 49 

war very soon sank out of sight; while men quickly 
rose from obscurity to stand at the head of affairs. So 
inadequately do the circumstances of life afford the 
proper opportunities for success that one has ventured 
the remark that "the world knows nothing of its great- 
est men;" and the poet has daringly said of a humble 
country churchyard: 

"Perhaps in this neglected spot is laid 
Some heart once pregnant with celestial fire; 

Hands that the rod of empire might have swayed, 
Or waked to ecstasy the living lyre. 

"Some village Hampden, that, with dauntless breast, 

The little tyrant of his fields withstood; 
Some mute, inglorious Milton here may rest; 

Some Cromwell, guiltless of his country's blood." 

If this principle is manifest in the experiences of 
earth, much more when heaven is taken into the ac- 
count. The difference between the circumstances of 
earth and heaven may well justify the declaration of 
Christ, ''Behold, there are last which shall be first, and 
there are first which shall be last." The circumstances 
of earthly life are not such as to bring into prominence 
every great man. 

Some of the most telling talks I ever heard in prayer 
meeting were those of a Scotsman whose hands were 
hard and black from working in a foundry; and he 
took no pains to hide them, but swung them with vigor, 
while great thoughts fell from his lips. I used to get 
an intellectual and spiritual uplift from that man's 
talks every prayer meeting night. He had been cheated 



50 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

out of all his property— as he thought — ^by a wealthy 
and prominent business man, a member of the same 
church, who said in his dying hours that he used to en- 
joy religion but had lost it all. But he never brought his 
grievances into prayer meeting, but rather came there 
with a rich Christian experience which ranged far 
higher and stretched far wider than business matters, 
leaving his earthly wrongs to be righted in God's great 
day of settlement. 

Every One for Himself 

Strange as it may seem, there are persons in the 
world who expect to be saved because they have pious 
wives, or parents. Probably every minister has met 
such people. It is not uncommon to see a fruitless and 
a fruit-bearing tree growing so close together that the 
trunks look almost like one, and the branches are so 
interlocked that the fruit seems to be growing on both. 
I remember carefully studying two such trees by the 
roadside. As well might that fruitless tree expect to 
be spared by the ax because it was growing so near 
a fruitful tree. Its nearness was no advantage to 
either itself or the fruit-bearing tree. The Saviour 
says, "Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is 
hewn down and cast into the fire." 

The papers reported that a man had lost everything 
by a financial failure except his religion, and one who 
knew him remarked, "Yes, and that is in his wife's 
name." 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 51 

Example 

Both animals and men possess an instinct of imita- 
tion, and do many things for no better reason than that 
others of their species are doing them. Small animals 
wear a narrow path because they yield to the impulse 
to go where others have gone. Deer, and other large 
animals of the forest, have runways which are formed 
by following each other year after year. A man breaks 
a way through the forest. He may do no more than 
stir up the dead leaves a little, and break off a twig 
here and there in his first passage; but another, bound 
for the same destination, finds it easier to walk in his 
footsteps; and one continues to follow another until 
the bushes are worn away and the path beaten hard, 
so that it is very easy to follow. This footpath may 
develop into a bridle path, and finally into a carriage 
road— each one following this particular way because 
many others have taken it before him. 

This road may not be in the best place ; it may not be 
the shortest or least rugged that could be found 
through the forest, yet each finds it much easier to fol- 
low it than to break a new and better road for him- 
self. In like manner, one breaking a path through the 
tangled forest of error does the world a positive serv- 
ice, because others bound in the same direction will 
find it easier to walk in his footsteps. This is true of 
every effort made in the right direction, however 
feeble. Every blow struck in the cause of truth ; every 
effort made to resist evil; every word spoken for 



52 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

the advancement of morals and religion, helps to 
strengthen the current of right doing, and beat harder 
and make more easy the narrow path that leads to 
everlasting life. 

The examples men look at and are influenced by 
may be good or bad. Tyranny of fashion is based on 
this imitative instinct ; and this thing men call fashion 
marches with conquering tread over national bounda- 
ries and establishes its dominion throughout the whole 
civilized globe. It is not altogether to be condemned, 
yet men and women often do the most absurd things, 
which no one would seriously undertake to defend, 
simply because it is the fashion — that is, because every- 
body is doing so. 

National customs and peculiarities have the same 
origin. The members of the same race or nation do 
things in a certain way because their fathers did so 
before them; and the tyranny of national custom is 
almost absolute. Many of these customs are the most 
foolish and inconvenient that it is possible to conceive; 
but it is next to impossible to change them. In fact, 
easy-going human nature has invented a proverb to 
meet the case. It says, "When in Rome do as the 
Romans do." There are some conveniences in such a 
course; but if the customs of the Romans involve 
wrong they ought not to be followed. 

We may hope that the day will not be forever de- 
layed when Christians will not be compelled to fight 
against prevailing example — when it will be in fashion 
to be good, and true, and pious ; when the customs of 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 53 

all nations will enjoin honesty, and purity, and tem- 
perance, and Christlike character. 

Experience 

Too many regard their religious experience as a pro- 
found secret which they must sedulously keep to them- 
selves. An aged Baptist minister told me he had 
praying parents, but they were not forward in talking 
to him of the religion which they professed, and so 
failed to lead him to Christ. By some outside instru- 
mentality he at length found his Saviour when he had 
almost reached manhood. With the characteristic 
zeal of a young convert he sat down by his mother's 
side and told her the story. She wept over the simple 
narrative, for it carried her back to the days when she 
gave her own heart to God ; and then, unlocking her 
long-hidden secret, she told him, in turn, for the first 
time, the story of her own conversion — a simple, beau- 
tiful, touching story, and gave quite a lengthened ac- 
count of her inner religious life. The boy listened 
with delight, and, when she had finished the story, 
said, "O mother, why didn't you tell me this before?" 

I can remember as a boy that I learned more of the 
religious experience of my parents from chance re- 
marks which they dropped to others than from any- 
thing they ever said directly to myself. They talked 
enough about religious things in a general way, but 
seldom or never talked about their own religious expe- 
rience ; and I well remember that when any word was 
dropped I valued it more than any general religious 



54 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

instruction. Though both my parents were Chris- 
tians I never heard the story of their conversion, nor 
any account of the struggles they met with in the reli- 
gious life. I longed to hear it, but did not dare ask 
questions, and the impression left on my mind was that 
religious experience was a secret which should not be 
inquired after nor revealed. Religious experience is 
no doubt a sacred thing, but it may be choked, like a 
spring, for want of outflow, and can be a means of 
refreshment to others if properly used. 

Failure in Christian Work 

History scarcely furnishes us another instance of 
such utter failure, judged by human standards, as that 
of the prophet Jeremiah. He was not able to persuade 
the people to do anything that God wanted them to do. 
Shall we pronounce Jeremiah a failure? If so, Noah 
goes into the same class. Pronounce no man either a 
success or a failure until God has been heard from. 
Jeremiah was not the only man who offended man in 
obeying God. 

The lighthouse on a dangerous coast which is kept 
burning at its best every night, from dark till day- 
light, is not a failure though every careless sea captain 
runs his vessel on the rocks. God counts that man a 
success who goes at his bidding, whether or not men 
are willing to listen to his voice. 

Yet Christians are very apt to become disheartened 
in doing the humdrum duties of the Christian life. I 
heard a faithful Christian woman say in prayer meet- 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 55 

ing one evening that she had often felt that her testi- 
mony did not amount to anything. Year after year 
she had witnessed for Christ, but had seen no results ; 
and she had been tempted to let it drop out as some- 
thing that would not be missed. And I heard a weary 
class leader say that he felt like giving up his class 
unless he could see something more than a routine of 
songs and prayers and testimonies week after week. 
What is the value of these routine Christian duties ? 

Soldiers at the tap of the drum are brought out early 
every morning to roll call. Just a roll call — nothing 
more. No fighting is required of them at such times; 
they do not even wear their arms and accouterments. 
No other duties are laid upon them; they just stand up 
straight in line, clothes clean, shoulder to shoulder, and 
answer to their names; that is all. 

Just a roll call. The names are called one by one, 
and each man answers, "Present." 

What if a soldier should say, "I am tired of the 
monotony of this roll call every morning; nothing 
comes of it; I shall not be missed; I will stay away.'* 

Why, they would send an officer at once to his tent 
to see if he were sick or dead. It would be an unheard- 
of proceeding; an utter violation of military disci- 
pline. Everything depends on his answering "Present" 
every morning. It is only thus that the general knows 
whether he has an army or not. All he can depend on 
are those who are present at roll call every morning. 
Those in the hospital, or on furlough, or absent with- 
out leave do not count in the army. 



56 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

'Tresent"— "Present"— 'Tresent" morning after 
morning means everything. 

"Present" for service when service is required. 
Ready for any emergency that may arise; and emer- 
gencies arise without warning in the army. 

"Present" for battle when the day of battle comes. 
Arms bright, cartridge box full, gun loaded, ready for 
defense or advance whenever the order is given. 

And if it should fall to the lot of a soldier, as it 
may, although it seldom does, to do little else than 
answer "Present" every morning, year after year, he 
has done his duty — all that his country required — and 
his faithful attendance at roll call will not fail of its 
reward. 

And the man who has stood in his place in the 
church year after year to answer, "Here am I," will 
never know how much good he has accomplished until 
God's books are opened. Then it will appear that 
there is no such thing as failure to the man who has 
done his duty. Duty done leaves an impress on the 
soul which is its own reward, though no effects may be 
produced on others. 

Faith and Sight 

Not every Christian is ready to believe that an in- 
visible Holy Spirit is better than a visible Shekinah. 
I remember hearing a disciple weak in the faith ex- 
press a wish that we might have some such visible 
guide in these days. A man with two good eyes may 
stumble and fall in broad daylight, and when night 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 57 

comes on, and the ground is uneven, he hardly dares 
venture out at all. 

Now, if a man were made without eyes and placed 
in a world whose surface was a dead level, with no 
hills, or valleys, or rocks, or trees to stumble him, and 
nothing whatever to harm him, he could travel about 
in perfect safety. Such is the state of the Christian 
within the bounds of the broad realm of divine Provi- 
dence. He cannot see, he has no eyes to see, for God's 
ways are hidden from his view. But he has no need 
to see, for God does the seeing, and has cleared all 
obstacles out of his path. All he need do is to march 
resolutely forward under the matchless promise, "All 
things work together for good to them that love God.** 
We should avoid two mistakes: having faith that all 
will be well when we do not love God, and not having 
faith when we do love him. 

Faith and Works 

Some things were never meant to subsist alone. 
Faith and works are not two things that can live apart, 
like a house and a tree ; they are rather like a tree and 
its leaves, which are necessary to each other. Faith 
cannot exist without its works ; and the works of faith 
cannot exist without the faith to produce them. Works 
show whether faith exists. How do we know that 
spring has come? We see the springing grasses, the 
early flowers — daisies, crocuses, mayflowers — shoot- 
ing up through the dead leaves ; we feel the soft breath 
of the south wind; we hear the birds singing among 



58 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

the trees. And worldly wisdom has gone so far as 
to declare that one swallow does not make a summer ; 
we need many evidences that spring has come. The 
almanacs proclaim on the first of March that spring 
has come, but nobody believes them. 

And when a man proclaims himself a man of faith 
we begin to look about for the fruits of faith, the 
works of faith, and, failing to see these, we justly 
doubt the existence of the faith. 

The famous Siamese twins were grown together 
in a vital part, so that the life of one was necessary to 
the life of the other. They thus lived together till old 
age, but no surgeon dared to cut them apart. English 
surgeons were appealed to to attempt the operation 
but refused to undertake it; and finally, when one of 
the twins died, the other lived only two hours. So 
faith and works may live, and grow, and bear fruit 
when united ; but no spiritual surgeon has been able to 
separate them so skillfully but that both have died in 
the operation; and whenever one has died the other 
died immediately after. 

Falling 

I met a good brother one winter day on the slippery 
hillsides of Albany, coming down the ice on a sliding 
run, and as we passed he called out, "It's easy going 
downhill." I called back, **Yes, and it's dangerous 
too." 

A fall then might be a serious matter. I have known 
a man slide a whole block on the icy sidewalk of a 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 59 

Hudson River city by trying to run down the steep 
hill, and find himself in a dilapidated condition at the 
first crosswalk. 

It is not so easy going up a slippery hill, but it is 
much safer. Though a man may fall it is with his 
face uphill, and he gets up and goes on again. It 
makes all the difference in the world which way a man 
is headed when he falls. When a Christian goes down 
in this slippery world he is facing uphill, and he gets 
up again and goes the way he was going before. And 
why should he not? Should he lie in the dirt forever 
because he has fallen ? 

I was once walking along a country highway and, 
without knowing it, came to some ice that was covered 
by a thin coating of snow, and in an instant, without 
any warning, I was flat on my back. There was only 
one thing to do — get up, brush off the snow, and go 
on the way I was going before the fall. 

Yet some Christians when they fall say, "I've fallen 
before, and if I get up and try to walk in this slippery 
world I will only fall down again; so I will lie here 
the rest of my life.'' The attitude of the Church to- 
ward the fallen should be that of forgiveness and help, 
even to "seventy times seven times." 

Family Influence 

Example in the family is a most deadly influence 
when it is given for evil. A Christian woman mourned 
for years over a godless husband, and her testimony 
was, "God only knows what I have suffered.'* He was 



60 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

a kind man and good neighbor; would drive with her 
to church on Sabbath, and spend the hour in chatting 
with friends in the village tavern while she was wor- 
shiping God. A beautiful Sabbath in summer he took 
his wife to the little church as usual, and went himself 
to the tavern, not to drink, but to chat with compan- 
ions as careless as himself. The next Sabbath he was 
lying in his grave, and she was mourning over an un- 
saved husband. The son followed in the footsteps of 
his father, and went much farther jn the path of evil. 

A family that I knew left their young daughter to 
burn up with a fever until her flesh was livid and 
Death had already set his seal upon her — ^then sent for 
a physician. The physician looked on with horror; 
called in the neighbors to see the ghastly spectacle; 
branded them as murderers; and in a few hours the 
fair girl was dead. The neighbors shuddered when 
they passed the door of that house, and regarded those 
parents with loathing. 

Yet parents can let their children rot and die with 
moral and spiritual leprosy, and no one looks on with 
any horror. They will teach them by their own ex- 
ample a course of life that leads to spiritual and eternal 
death, and those who look on are not greatly shocked 
at the sight. 

A young man on the gallows, just about to be 
launched into eternity, raised his hand to heaven and 
cursed his aged mother as the means of bringing him 
there. It sent a thrill of horror through me to read 
his words. And what he charged her with was noth- 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 61 

ing more than sinners in general are doing— a friv- 
olous life, a life of sin, and a neglect to warn him of 
the dangers of sin. 

Fellowship of Christ's Sufferingfs 

I have seen a Christian minister sit by a dying 
man — sent for at midnight — a man so sick that it was 
agony to be in the room with him ; and the sick man 
clung to him for days together, and looked to him for 
salvation; while the servant of Christ, with burdened 
soul and trembling frame, tried to point him to "the 
Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world." 
And as the minister with shaking nerves and reeling 
brain left that sick chamber he felt that he had given 
a part of his life to that dying man. 

On another occasion he spent an entire afternoon 
pleading with a young woman to give herself to 
Christ; and as the long, intense interview ended in 
profound nervous exhaustion he had the depressing 
feeling that he had done all he could for her but that 
all was not sufficient. Thirty years after she is still 
unsaved. 

I knew a layman who, when in feeble health, sat by 
a man for an hour and pleaded with him to come to 
Christ, pointing out the way of repentance and faith, 
throwing his soul under the sinner's burden, until, 
when the work was accomplished and the soul saved, 
this Christian man was so weak that he could hardly 
walk. 

A man was saved from intemperance, and joined a 



62 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

church; but one Saturday night he fell, and Sunday 
morning in a state of wild intoxication he got a livery 
team and started out for a spree, racing up and down 
the street like a madman. A well-dressed, well-to-do 
Christian man, on his way to church, caught sight of 
him, and hailed him, and before the drunken man was 
really aware, and against his will, was in the buggy 
beside him. 

And this Christian man stuck to him for some hours, 
in spite of threats and persuasions, on the public streets 
of the city, until at last he got him home, sobered, and 
started again on a career of sobriety and piety. 

And I have known this same Christian man to fol- 
low his workmen, during the small hours of the night, 
from saloon to saloon through the dark, dirty, and 
dangerous streets of the city, that he might save them 
from intemperance. If any persons think there is no 
suffering connected with this kind of work, they need 
only try it for themselves to be thoroughly undeceived. 

Fickleness 

I have in mind a man who had stumbled many times 
already, and should have learned the lesson of his own 
weakness; but when he made a fresh start he was as 
confident as ever, and even boastful; so much so that 
I quoted the words of Peter, "Though all should for- 
sake thee, yet will not I," and added some words of 
warning. Within four months he was following his 
old ways. 

Sudden lapses and sudden recovery mark the reli- 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 63 

gious history of many persons. In the Atlantic 
Monthly there appeared many years ago (1869) a 
quaint story called "The Brick Moon," which repre- 
sented some persons as building an immense globe of 
bricks, which, by some accident, was projected into 
space, with several persons upon it, and, commencing 
a revolution around the earth, became a second moon 
in our system. 

These persons at length were enabled to signal to 
their friends on earth; and among other things sent 
this message : * When we want to change climate we 
can walk in less than a minute from midsummer to the 
depth of winter." This was on account of the small- 
ness of the globe on which they lived. 

I noted it at the time as an illustration of the reli- 
gious experiences of many persons. It requires only a 
short time to go from midsummer to midwinter; and 
they are back again as soon. Persons of this tempera- 
ment exhibit great fluctuations and strange irregulari- 
ties in their religious experience; and the best thing 
about them is that they generally get up again, no mat- 
ter how often they fall. 

^FoUow the Rule'' 

Every science has its rules by which its problems are 
solved and its results reached. Chemistry has its 
formulas by which elementary substances are com- 
bined and certain valuable compounds secured; and 
unless the rule is carefully followed a deadly poison 
may be the result instead of a healing medicine. 



64 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

Arithmetic has its rules by which its problems are 
solved, and by carefully following these rules the cor- 
rect result will be reached. 

Some persons require much more time than others 
to solve a problem in arithmetic, but, whether slowly 
or rapidly, if the rule be followed the correct result will 
be obtained. I well remember working a whole winter 
on one example, but in the end secured the correct 
result. 

It is not necessary to understand all the reasons why 
following the rule will give the right answer. A child 
can solve a difficult problem by following the rule long 
before it can explain the reasons for the transaction. 

Mistakes in the operation vitiate this result, and then 
the schoolboy is sent back to do the work over again. 
Many times over the careless boy has been obliged to 
work the same example before reaching the correct 
answer. 

And the student will know when he has reached the 
correct result. There are methods of proving the work 
to make sure of its accuracy. 

God has given us in the Bible certain rules for the 
salvation of sinful men; and the conditions which at- 
tach to the solution of a problem in arithmetic will also 
attend the solution of the great problem of salvation. 

The jailer asked, "What must I do to be saved?'* 
and the answer was, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, 
and thou shalt be saved." In another place the con- 
ditions of salvation are given in fuller form, as "Re- 
pentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 65 

Christ." Let those who honestly ask the question of 
the jailer apply this rule patiently and thoroughly and 
they will get the correct result. 

Some may be longer in solving the problem than 
others. 

It is not necessary to understand all the whys and 
wherefores of the plan of salvation in order to apply 
the rule. 

Mistakes will vitiate the result, and in such a case 
it is necessary to try again. 

And every person will know when he has reached 
the correct result. There is an unmistakable witness 
to the fact of salvation. 

Force Indestructible 

Some scientific truths may illustrate some spiritual 
truths. 

A scientist has described an experiment which shows 
the power of little things. If a block of iron and a pith 
ball are hung from the ceiling by cords a short dis- 
tance apart, and the pith ball be drawn back and let 
fall on the block of iron over and over again, the iron 
will soon begin to sway backward and forward, moved 
by nothing more powerful than a little pith ball, which 
a child's breath might blow aside. 

The child that strikes a blow with a hammer in its 
sport has exerted a force that will never cease to oper- 
ate in the universe, unless God shall change the present 
order of things. We sometimes think we do not 
amount to anything, when the fact is that we do not 



66 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

lift a foot or finger without in some degree affecting 
the universe of God. 

A man of science declares that not a word could be 
spoken, or whisper breathed, that did not leave an im- 
press on the solid rocks. And another has ventured 
the opinion that if one atom of matter were blotted out 
of existence it would unsettle the balance of things, 
and the universe would rush to chaos. 

The universe is bound into one bundle by common 
laws. The slightest change in our relation to the sun 
would destroy the order of the seasons, and make the 
earth uninhabitable. Disturbances on the surface of 
the sun are immediately felt on the surface of the earth. 

The volcanic eruption of Krakatoa sent oceanic 
waves to desolate shores for hundreds of miles around ; 
produced a volume of sound that was heard in opposite 
directions nearly two thirds around the globe; started 
an atmospheric wave that encircled the earth and re- 
turned to the place of starting ; and carried volumes of 
dust twenty miles into the sky, which produced most 
brilliant sunsets for more than a year all over the globe. 

And we surely know that earth is bound together in 
one bundle. The American civil war produced distress 
all over the world. The Franco-German war caused 
a fall of American securities on the Continent of Eu- 
rope. The mere rumor of a Turkish war caused a rise 
in the grain market in Chicago. The failure of one 
heavy business firm may occasion a financial panic all 
over the land. 

This law of interdependence and indestructibility is 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 67 

not less obvious in morals and religion. Our sins are 
affecting our friends, and neighbors, and the commu- 
nity where we live ; and some men have been so power- 
ful for evil as to contaminate whole nations, and even 
the entire world. 

Every sin is like a thistle seed. The first year it 
springs up as a single stalk, with a beautiful blossom 
on its top — a picture of the pleasures of sin — ^but with 
many a sharp thorn beneath, a picture of sin's penal- 
ties. In the autumn time this stalk dies and is buried 
and we think we have seen the last of it ; but the seeds 
have ripened and been scattered in every direction by 
the changing winds. When spring comes these seeds 
grow up for miles around; and a few years suffice to 
spread such a pestiferous weed all over the land. I 
remember when a boy the first white daisies that ap- 
peared on my father's farm ; and in ten years' time the 
fields were white with them. 

Every sin is a spiritual force let loose in the uni- 
verse, which is as indestructible as a physical force. It 
may disappear where it was first committed, but it 
breaks out again in distant ages and countries. The 
man who lives a life of sin may die and be buried out 
of sight, but his example and influence have been in- 
corporated into the streams of human life to make the 
current stronger in the wrong direction. 

When a wicked man sees his children and his neigh- 
bors' children running into sin, and the whole com- 
munity following evil ways, he may justly say to him- 
self, "This is in some measure my doings ; this crop of 



68 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

evil has sprung in part from my sowing." Can any 
sane man doubt it ? One day a parent dropped a care- 
less word, the next day his little girl was repeating it. 
Some one is watching us, repeating our remarks, doing 
our deeds over again, following our footsteps, deter- 
mined to live as we live and share our destiny. 

Fofgfettingf God 

The Bible pronounces it a great sin to forget God. 
It says of the wicked man that God is not in all his 
thoughts; he thinks of everything rather than God. 
The things we think about are the things we desire 
most and love most. A man's thoughts are the best 
test of his character. If we can find out what a man 
thinks about when he is alone, we will have the best 
possible estimate of the man. 

The psalmist says that he remembered God upon his 
bed, and meditated upon him in the night watches. 
There are many men who do not follow his example. 

Forget God! What a strange procedure. The 
greatest slight we can put upon a man is to forget him ; 
it proves that we do not think much about him, or care 
much for him. If we have a social gathering, and in 
making up the list of invited guests leave off a name, 
and then go to the person and say, "I would have in- 
vited you, but I forgot all about you," you give him 
at once your estimate of him. It would be better to 
make no excuse at all. 

In making up such a list we put down first those we 
think most of, and so think most about — those we 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 69 

could not forget if we tried to do so. Then we add 
the names of those we think less of ; and the man who 
is forgotten is the one who is not much in our thoughts. 
And the fact that we forget him reveals precisely our 
state of feeling toward him. 

And when we forget God it proves that we think 
nothing about him, and care nothing for him, and have 
nothing in common with him. We could not offend 
him more grievously than to forget him. 

Though unseen, he lives and operates everywhere, 
and will never forget us. We ought to cultivate the 
power to think about the unseen and spiritual. Men 
want object lessons to help them think. This is a pop- 
ular way of teaching children, but men ought to get 
beyond it. The man who can think about nothing but 
what he sees and handles is low down in the scale of 
being; and the proverb, "Out of sight, out of mind," 
expresses his thought. 

Abstract thought is regarded as the highest test of 
mental power. The man who can think about un- 
seen things; commune with God, commune with 
his own heart; consider truth, duty, love, heaven, has 
mounted above the common level, and proved his kin- 
ship with his divine Maker. 

Foundations 

In laying the foundations of the new Capitol build- 
ing at Albany, since they could not find solid rock on 
which to place it, they made a foundation as nearly like 
rock as possible. They dug down to a very great 



70 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

depth, and laid a uniform substratum of broken rock 
and cement; and upon this they laid immense flat 
stones ten or twelve feet in length, upon which the 
heavy walls of the structure were placed. Even this 
was not equal to a foundation of solid rock, for it is 
reported that they did not dare erect the lofty tower 
which was to crown the structure. 

In erecting a large cathedral they found not the solid 
rock, but treacherous quicksand underneath, and were 
obliged to drive hundreds of piles down deep below 
the quicksand on which the walls might rest. 

I passed one summer through a section of country 
where a wild tornado had swept. Some barns were 
turned entirely about on their foundations; the loose 
stone foundations of others had given way, and the 
buildings were crushed in a shapeless mass on the 
ground. The old barn in which I played in childhood 
rested on an insecure foundation, and it went down 
into a heap of rubbish. The most of the buildings in 
the region, however, rested on secure foundations, and 
withstood the full fury of the blast. 

Christ has pointed out the advantages of a rock 
foundation over one of sand. It is the winds and 
storms of life that are to test our religious structure. 
Men seem to get along very well without religion in 
pleasant weather; but when the storms of life come 
their "refuge of lies" goes to fragments. We must 
have a religious experience that will stand the test of 
losses, and crosses, and troubles ; of long and wearing 
sickness ; of open graves and the dying hour. Houses 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 71 

tumble down in fierce hurricanes ; and religious struc- 
tures go to pieces when the tempests of life over- 
whelm us. 

I was once called to the dying bed of a man who had 
all his life scouted at Christianity, and with oaths de- 
nounced a profession of religion. He was sure that all 
were going to be saved. God was too good to punish 
anybody. When it became certain that he was going 
to die his religious views vanished like a puff of smoke. 
He cried to God for mercy; sent for the superintend- 
ent of the Sunday school and myself before breakfast, 
and would not permit us to leave his bedside so long as 
consciousness remained. He tired us out praying for 
him and singing with him. He had never wanted min- 
isters or Christians about him before; he could take 
care of himself; his theory served him very well until 
death came, and then the house built on the sand went 
to pieces. 

All I know is that he continued renouncing his 
former views, and pleading for mercy, until the dark 
shadow of unconsciousness passed over him, a short 
time before his death. 

Freedom of Man 

Let a scene from our civil war illustrate it. A com- 
pany of men gathered from the surrounding country 
are listening to an orator. A recruiting office has been 
opened. The men are not to be drafted, but are asked 
to volunteer — to choose for themselves. The orator 
commences by gaining their assent to the fact that Fort 



72 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

Sumter has been fired on. He tells them it is rebellion, 
and their intellects assent to it. He tells them that 
rebellion must be put down, or our country will go to 
pieces. He makes an argument in favor of the war, 
and carries his audience with him^ — ^their intellects as- 
sent to all he says; and if they do not he cannot influ- 
ence them. 

Then, after having gained the assent of their intel- 
lects, he makes an appeal to their feelings. He tells 
them how noble a thing it is to defend one's country, 
and a feeling of patriotism is awakened. He tells tales 
of heroism and suffering on the field, and melts his 
audience to tears. He has satisfied their intellects and 
stirred their feelings, and that in spite of themselves; 
they could not help assenting and feeling. 

But what next ? Does he enlist for them ? No ; they 
must do the rest. He simply asks them, *'Will you 
enlist?" They must choose for themselves. If they 
all shake their heads and go home, we say their tears 
and hurrahs are very cheap. Why ? Because their in- 
tellects were satisfied and their feelings stirred with- 
out any choice on their part. But they could say 
whether they would enlist or not, and at that point 
their merit or demerit commenced. 

This may give us the right view of religion. It is 
not religion to think right ; to have grand thoughts of 
God, and heaven, and human duty; to reason nobly 
respecting systems of theology; for our thoughts are 
not under our control. It is no virtue of ours to have 
great thoughts, or fault of ours to lack them. God 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 73 

controls this department of the human mind, and gives 
us such power of thinking as he deems best. Nor is it 
religion to feel well; to have good desires and noble 
longings ; to have the emotions stirred by glowing pic- 
tures and pathetic tales; to weep, or sigh, or laugh, 
or shout, or groan, or yield to any of the impulses or 
emotions of the mind ; for these things are governed by 
laws which we do not control. God may give us large 
capacity for thinking and feeling, or small capacity — 
we have no responsibility in the matter. Some of the 
worst of men have had the largest power of thought 
and feeling, and some of the best men the smallest; it 
was neither a virtue nor a vice. 

True religion is a thing of the will. It is not to 
think right, or to feel right, but to will right, to choose 
right, to act right. Right thoughts and feelings are 
good if they lead to right willing and doing, but they 
have no merit in themselves. And God gives us right 
thoughts and right feelings in order that we may be 
induced to will right and do right. While God oper- 
ates normally on intellect and feelings, we have power 
to choose right and do right. God moves upon those 
faculties of mind which he has kept under his own 
control, so as to prompt us and help us to exercise 
wisely the one faculty which he has placed in our 
power, and we are responsible for the right use of it. 

The fingers of the Almighty may sweep the strings 
of intellect and emotion, awakening a blissful mel- 
ody of right thoughts and right feelings, but the 
strings of the will must forever remain silent until they 



74 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

are touched by human fingers ; and these human fingers 
if they will may stir sweet music there, in full har- 
mony with the lofty melody which God's own fingers 
awaken in the soul of man. The proper melody of the 
human soul is a duet ; God plays his part, and we must 
play our part in harmony with him. 

Friendship 

Whoever undertakes to maintain a fire of shavings 
will need to give his whole mind to it or it will be out 
before he is aware. A fire of hard wood must not be 
long forgotten or it will burn itself out. A fire of com- 
pact coal may burn all day without attention, but the 
next morning it must be renewed or it will also go out. 
Friendships are subject to much the same conditions. 
Temperaments have as great extremes as coal and 
shavings. Some must be fed with continual kindness 
and attention, or the friendship will die. A friend of 
this kind is really a great burden; and the only re- 
deeming feature is that if shavings go out sud- 
denly they can be kindled again without much trouble. 
Others, like the fire of wood, must be looked after 
O'ften, but do not require constant attention. Still 
others, like a coal fire, may be for some time neglected, 
and the warmth of the friendship will not sensibly 
diminish; but if they are neglected too long, and the 
fire suffered to go out, or nearly out, it is a serious 
matter to kindle them again. Friendships among all 
temperaments will die out without the interchange of 
attentions more or less frequent. All fires will bum 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 75 

out in time if more fuel is not added. ''He that hath 
friends must show himself friendly." 

Fruit Diseased 

A physician claims to have discovered with a micro- 
scope the germs of diphtheria on apples, pears, lem- 
ons, and oranges. Some dangerous element, that is 
no part of the fruit, may attach itself to it, in this 
world of blight, mildew, and death. 

Whether it be true or not that the germs of deadly 
disease attach themselves to fruit, it is certainly true 
that it is often covered with moss and mold, and eaten 
by worms, and thereby rendered very uninviting. 

There is a lesson here for the Christian. His best 
fruits, which grow on the divine vine, may be so over- 
laid by human error, infirmity, or folly as to be dis- 
tasteful to right-thinking people. Many a man, whose 
piety could not be questioned, has been largely dis- 
counted in the community by some weakness or folly 
that has attached to his life and obscured the luster 
and richness of his spiritual fruit. The Christian 
should aim not only to make himself acceptable to 
God, but also to all right-minded people. 

Fruit in Abundance 

The papers announce the discovery of the largest 
tree in the world on the Pacific coast. It is said to be 
one hundred and three feet in circumference at the 
ground, and ninety-six feet in circumference four feet 
above the ground. It stretches up into the sky nearly 



76 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

one hundred and seventy-five feet, and is surmounted 
by an immense top. It is a cone-bearing tree, and the 
number of cones upon it is almost beyond the ordinary 
processes of computation. 

One point has especial interest. It is reported that 
a little twig, at the extremity of one of the farthest 
branches, had on it nearly one hundred cones. The 
entire tree must have upon it thousands upon thou- 
sands of these cones. Each cone has in it from twenty- 
five to fifty seeds; and when they ripen and fall the 
winds must scatter many millions of seeds for a long 
distance around. Here is a picture of the true Church 
of God. Each branch, vitally connected with the true 
vine, brings forth fruit and scatters the seeds of truth 
far and wide. It is the glory of a tree that its branches 
bear fruit. The branches bear the fruit, but they de- 
rive their life from the tree. "Herein is my Father 
glorified, that ye bear much fruit." 

^Ff«it to Perfection^' 

In the parable of the sower Christ says that those 
who are choked with the cares, riches, and pleasures 
of this life "bring no fruit to perfection." The ma- 
chines which thrash and clean wheat contain fine wire 
sieves which no grain above a certain size can get 
through, while all below that size falls through and is 
thus separated from the valuable grain. If we look at 
the grain which has passed successfully over the sieve 
we will not find the kernels all of the same size, but we 
still call it all valuable wheat. 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 77 

If, on the other hand, we look at that which has 
fallen through the sieve we find that much of it has 
the same shape as good wheat, but it is stunted, and 
shriveled, and if ground in the mill the result will be 
all bran and no flour. Christ intimates that many 
Christian fruits are largely valueless because they have 
not attained a reasonable standard of perfection. Very 
likely many of the current graces of religion are so 
small and shriveled as to fall through the sieve. When 
a rich man gives twenty-five or fifty cents to the mis- 
sionary cause, and then quotes the story of the widow's 
mite, his gift will fall through the sieve. God is not 
a hard master, and we may be sure that whatever falls 
through his sieve is worthless. 

^Fullness of God"" 

God's fullness has been compared to an ocean — able 
to fill everything else and in no danger of emptying 
itself in so doing. When there is such an ocean of 
Deity encircling the universe, pressing itself into every 
bay, and sound, and harbor, and inlet, calmly and 
majestically filling every channel that is open to it — 
when there is such an ocean of divine love, and joy, 
and power — why should not our poor empty hearts be 
filled ? Why should they remain empty ? Why should 
they remain half full? Why should we be content 
with a little spray which only the highest waves can 
dash over us now and then, when this majestic ocean- 
tide might surge through our souls, cleansing, and fill- 
ing them with God? It can only be because we have 



78 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

erected barriers before our hearts which this ocean will 
not break down. 

There may be found along the ocean's shore rocky 
ledges or sand banks so high that the waves are not 
able to surmount them. Just back of these barriers 
may be found ground much lower, full of stagnant 
water. It is a strange thing that the ocean's shore is 
lined with stagnant pools and salt marshes. On the 
one side of these barriers are stagnation and pollution, 
on the other side the pure waters of the ocean are 
dashing. Perhaps in their sublimest surgings they 
hurl a little spray over the ledge to mingle with the 
stagnant waters, but not enough to redeem them from 
corruption. If we break down these barriers and let 
the ocean tide through, these stagnant pools are washed 
out, and filled to the brim with pure water, and kept 
full and kept pure, and made little appendages of the 
great ocean. 

Such is our relation to God. He is ready with the 
vast ocean of his fullness to cleanse and fill the stag- 
nant pools of our hearts, but we erect barriers to keep 
him out. If we will break down these barriers, and let 
the tide of Deity surge through our souls, we are 
brought into vital relation with God, and every move- 
ment of the great divine Spirit is felt in our spirits. It 
is a thought of untold significance that we are able to 
erect barriers and keep God out of our hearts. That 
God, who, like the ocean, presses naturally, necessarily, 
against every shore line, is shut out of human hearts by 
the human will, while he beats ceaselessly against the 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 79 

barrier as the ocean beats against the coast. It is no 
doubt well that we can shut God out, but it is not well 
that we do shut him out. 

Fullness of the Spirit 

Fullness of the Spirit does not imply that we are 
capable of holding the entire Spirit of God, in all his 
attributes and perfections. It only means that we are 
to hold what we can. A tin cup cannot hold the ocean, 
but it can be filled to overflowing with ocean water; 
and we are to be filled with the Spirit of God, and let 
the divine presence and power overflow on every side. 
What is needed is an abounding salvation ; and this is 
just what God desires. He is able to make all grace 
abound unto his children. 

Full Salvation 

A very ordinary man said in prayer meeting : "God 
has saved all there is of me." It is a very happy ex- 
pression. If God saves all there is of us, be it more or 
less, that is full salvation for us. There may not be as 
much of us as there was of Paul, or Luther, or Wesley, 
or Spurgeon, or Simpson, or Moody, but if all there is 
of us is given to God, and used by him, that is the full 
measure of salvation for us. 

God First 

O that men could understand how grandly it pays — 
pays here, pays hereafter — to make God and his king- 
dom overwhelmingly first. 



80 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

It is certainly not doing this to make the world first 
till we are seventy-five years old, or sixty, or fifty, and 
then, when the world begins tO' slip away in spite of us, 
to turn to God for rescue from the general wreck of 
all earthly things. 

Too often the altars of life are fed night and day 
all through youth and vigorous manhood to Mammon, 
which is the God of this world; and then, when the 
offerings begin to fail, and the fires to burn low, the 
old polluted altars are rededicated to the worship of 
God; just as some old heathen temples were converted 
into Christian churches; just as some old buildings in 
these days that have been used for base purposes are 
sometimes cleaned up a little and devoted to God's 
work. It is not the honorable thing to devote the best 
part of life to money-making, and honor-chasing, and 
pleasure-seeking, and then a§k God to be content with 
rheumatic joints, and shaking nerves, and failing eye- 
sight, and a treacherous memory, and wasted powers 
of body and mind. 

This is better than nothing, to be sure ; but it is much 
better still to give God the strength, vigor, ardor, and 
enthusiasm of youth and young manhood. 

God Out Father 

Sometimes earthly fathers have not the ability to 
support their children. Continual sickness disables 
them, or they cannot procure employment. There is 
no sadder sight in all earth's complicated relations than 
an honest, hard-working father who loves his family 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 81 

but is not able to provide for them. Society sympa- 
thizes with such a father, and is ready to lend a helping 
hand. 

Nearly all parents, however, are able to support 
their families ; and the most of earth's busy operations 
are carried on for this very purpose. Parents rise early 
and sit up late, they toil long and dreary hours, they 
go into the forest in the cold winter, they descend to 
the damp and dangerous mines, they live on the tumul- 
tuous ocean, they labor in mill, factoiy, and furnace, 
they delve and coax the barren soil, they toil on year 
after year, grimy, sweaty, dusty, weary, yet willing 
and happy, that they may support their children and 
give them proper education. 

What marvelous power this sublime picture of hu- 
man struggle gives to the words of our Saviour: "If 
ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto 
your children, hozv much more will your Father which 
is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?" 

God Out Portion 

Man can never find complete satisfaction in any- 
thing but God. A thing can never satisfy the wants of 
a spirit. Flesh may feed on flesh, but spirit must feed 
on spirit. You can never satisfy the wants of an im- 
mortal spirit with that which is a mere thing. The 
soul cries out after God. 

Give the entire world to man, and compel him to live 
on it alone, and he will be miserable beyond the power 
of expression. Select the brightest star in the firma- 



82 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

ment, and give it to a man to be all his own, and he 
will find no happiness until he has brought some other 
spirit to view and enjoy his possessions. 

When Adam stood alone on the earth God said, ''It 
is not good for man to be alone." When a man has a 
house all to himself he is never satisfied till he has 
taken a wife to share his joys. Here is the basis of all 
the loves and friendships of earth — spirit must find 
its joy in spirit. 

And this thought only reaches its highest, fullest 
meaning when we understand that our spirits can never 
find complete joy and satisfaction except in the great 
divine Spirit. 

Faith is the appropriate process by which one spirit 
can feed on another and find its joy in another. We 
believe in Christ, not merely believe him. I may be- 
lieve the veriest rascal, when he happens to tell the 
truth, without believing in him. When we believe in 
God we rest in him, and he becomes our portion. 

God^s Care 

I can well remember as a child having a great dread 
of the darkness, but I always felt secure from ghosts 
or robbers when my strong father slept on the front 
side of the bed. Advancing knowledge taught me 
more and more that my earthly father, strong though 
he was, had not power to defend me from all dangers ; 
but it has also brought the higher thought that the 
heavenly Father can defend us from all those who 
would rise up against us, for "he doeth according to 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 83 

his will in the army of heaven and among the inhab- 
itants of the earth." 

"The Lord our God is clothed with might, 

The winds obey his will; 
He speaks, and in his heavenly height 

The rolling sun stands still. 

"Ye winds of night, your force combine; 

Without his high behest 
Ye shall not, in the mountain pine, 

Disturb the sparrow's nest." 

God Sees 

The island of Arran, on the west coast of Scotland, 
is very mountainous. Near the center of the island is 
Goatfell, which is much higher than the other moun- 
tains. I remember rambling for many hours among 
the wild, desolate valleys of this island, and I observed 
that wherever I went the top of Goatfell was visible 
above the intervening mountains. Many times during 
the day I turned to gaze at the scenery, and was always 
surprised to see a small section of that blue summit 
looking calmly down upon me. The impression grew, 
and at length, turning suddenly in forgetfulness of the 
fact, I was startled once more ; and the thought flashed 
through my mind, "That mountain top is watching all 
you do." I at once inquired, *'Have I thought or done 
anything which I would not wish to be seen?" And 
then came the higher thought that the eye of God is 
far above every mountain top, and no valley is so deep 
as to screen us from his gaze. 



84 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

God's Great Sacrifice 

Can anyone who has studied the death of Christ 
doubt for one moment that it is a most amazing exhi- 
bition of God's love for sinful men? He "so loved the 
world that he gave his only begotten Son." 

There are some persons who are in a condition to 
give some kind of an estimate of the terrible demands 
of this sacrifice. Parents watch night and day by the 
bedside of a sick child, beholding its agonies but utterly 
unable to relieve them, until it seems that their hearts 
will break. They take the little sufferer into their 
arms, while the scalding tears fall in silence, the ago- 
nizing prayer goes up to heaven, and the spirit is torn 
with anguish that is unsupportable. How gladly 
would they take all the agonies of the little one upon 
themselves if it were possible to do so. 

Parents bear such anguish of heart because they 
must; but what if parents were called upon to submit 
a child to such agonies, of their own free choice, in or- 
der to save some other person, and that not a saint, but 
a sinner ! There is probably not a parent on the broad 
earth who would make such a sacrifice. 

And yet God submitted his Son to death for sinful 
men. He looked on while wicked men spit upon him, 
smote him with their hands, called him vile names, 
dragged him to Golgotha, and nailed him to the cruel 
cross. He heard the pleading cry, "Father, if it be 
possible, let this cup pass from me;" he listened to that 
last cry of agony, ''My God, my God, why hast thou 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 85 

forsaken me?" and he restrained himself, he held him- 
self back. It was his only begotten Son ; and who can 
tell the anguish that rent the Father's heart as he 
looked on this awful scene! ''He spared not his own 
Son, but delivered him up for us all;" he ''gave his 
only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him 
should not perish, but have everlasting life." 

Who will doubt that the death of Christ is a marvel- 
ous display of God's love, and ample grounds for the 
salvation of the world? And is it any wonder that 
when a penitent sinner comes to God in the name of 
Christ he is forgiven and saved? 

God^s Nearness 

When our two girls were little more than babies 
their mother used to put them to bed, turn out the light, 
and leave them to go to sleep alone, telling them that 
she would be in the room below to answer any call. 
And regularly, every night, several times, before they 
got to sleep, they would call down the stairway, 
"Mamma, are you there?" and the answer would go 
back, "Yes, I am here; go to sleep." They did not 
really think that mamma would be untrue to her word, 
and go away, but it was such a comfort to hear the 
familiar voice saying once and again, "Yes, I am 
here," until they were lost in sleep. 

We are all children in spiritual things. We know 
there is a Father in heaven ; we know that he loves us, 
and hears our every cry, and is not far from any one 
of us; yet when troubles come, when darkness and 



86 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

storms overtake us, it is a great comfort to call up 
through the darkness, ''Father, are you there?" and to 
hear the answer come back, "Fear not, for I am with 
thee ; be not dismayed, for I am thy God." 

God's nearness may become very real to us. He has 
said that if we draw nigh to him he will draw nigh to 
us. I was called upon to minister to a man thirty-five 
years old, or so, who had never thought much about 
God ; the world had occupied his attention. But he fell 
into a decline, and had leisure to turn his thoughts 
Godward. The good Father responded to his ap- 
proaches, and the man was astonished at the result. 
He said over and over, as I talked with him, "I didn't 
know God could come so near." 

God Woi^kingf throtjgh Men 

The men who have done most for God and been 
most for God have not necessarily been the greatest 
scholars, or men of greatest intellectual power, but the 
men who have had the most intimate acquaintance 
with the Spirit, and the fullest endowment of his 
power. The great achievements in soul-saving have 
not been man's work, but the work of God operating 
through man. 

The Romans built a number of vast aqueducts to 
supply their cities with water. These were simply 
large canals, extending in some cases fifty or sixty 
miles over hill and valley to carry the water of clear 
streams or fountains to distant thirsty cities. They did 
not seem to understand the principle of physics that 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 87 

water confined in tubes will rise as high as its source; 
consequently they built open aqueducts, and were 
obliged to bore through hills, and fill up valleys, or 
raise the aqueduct on a series of arches one above an- 
other, to furnish a level bed, or a gentle decline down 
which the water might flow. 

We have learned that we can carry water in strong 
iron pipes, over hill and through valley, without any 
leveling, so long as the fountain head is higher than 
any point of the course. This leveling up was man's 
work; driving the water uphill and down through the 
iron tube is God's work. Man's part is simply to at- 
tach his iron tube to God's law. 

And this is the correct principle of Christian life and 
work. It simply requires that a human instrument — 
great or small, learned or unlearned — should make 
connections with the Spirit of God, and large results 
are sure to follow. Water can run through a crooked 
tube if the fountain is only high enough; and even 
feeble agencies can bring great things to pass when 
God is behind them and working through them. 

Giving: 

There is one short, just rule for giving in the Bible : 
"As God hath prospered him." Unfortunately Chris- 
tians are left to apply this rule for themselves, and they 
sometimes make strange work of it. In one pastorate 
a poor woman, who supported her family with the 
needle, gave regularly each year five dollars to the mis- 
sionary cause. The richest man in the church at that 



88 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

time, reputed to be worth about one hundred thousand 
dollars, refused at first to give anything; but I spent 
two hours with him one afternoon, arguing, pleading, 
and finally retired, exhausted, disgusted, unstrung, 
with five dollars for the cause of missions. The effort 
and nervous tax were so great that I concluded it 
would be cheaper to give an extra five dollars myself. 
Here were two members of the church applying this 
simple Scripture rule with such unequal results. 

**Givc Mc a Shove ^ 

The comparative value of personal effort and spe- 
cial revival services has often been discussed. Every 
pastor has led many to make the supreme decision by 
direct personal appeal; but he has found that many 
who could not be reached in this way have yielded to 
the impulse of revival services. An unusual impact 
from some source was needed. The boy sliding down- 
hill says to his companion, ''Give me a shove f and so 
the inertia of a dead level is overcome, and he speeds 
on his way. Many persons declare that it was a little 
"push'* at the critical moment that led them to take up 
the Christian life. Qiristians ought to stand ready to 
give this "push" wherever it is needed. It will call for 
great intelligence to know just when to give the push 
in each case; and much courage will be required to 
break in upon the life of another and influence his 
decisions. 

One of the noblest Christian men I ever knew told 
me it was a personal invitation and grasp of the hand 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 89 

in a revival meeting that led him to make the start, and 

he said he would probably have held back without that 

little *'shove." 

Gtace Abundant 

There can be no question that God has provided 
grace sufficient for all the needs of human salvation. 
Some men need much more than others, but there is 
an abundance for all. There is no condition or emer- 
gency which divine grace cannot meet ; it can save the 
greatest sinner and the least, the oldest and the 
youngest. 

And if it ever fails the fault is on the human side ; 
there is a failure to connect the power of God with the 
need of man. And it may be feared that there is more 
or less of this failure in all our Christian experience. 

We had a pump in our kitchen which connected with 
a filtered cistern which was full of good water. But 
the pump leaked, and did not work well. It had to be 
primed, and there was nothing but polluted river water 
from the faucet to do it with. After a time it was 
necessary to prime it two or three times and pump 
furiously in order to get water. And at last it entirely 
refused to work. 

There was plenty of good water in the cistern, but 
we could not get it. A plumber came and fixed the 
pump, and then it was an easy matter to get all the 
water we needed. 

And, if we fail to get the grace necessary to meet 
the emergencies of life, be sure there is trouble with 
the human machinery. There is a leak somewhere. 



90 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

And under such circumstances increased human exer- 
tions will not supply the lack ; we must make the neces- 
sary connection with the great reservoir of divine 
grace, and we shall find that sufficient. 

Grasping: at Shadows 

Grasping at shadows, over and over again, yet 
never learning that there is no substance behind them 
— such is the result of worldly ambitions. When one 
of our children was a baby we held a hand glass before 
her for the first time. She took hold of it with her 
left hand, drew it toward her, and with her right hand 
tried to grasp the image in the glass. Many times she 
clutched behind the glass with her little hand, and at 
last turned the glass around, and looked behind it to 
see why she could not get hold of something. A look 
of utter astonishment came over her face when she 
discovered that there was nothing to clutch. 

It seemed like a fine illustratioh of how men are 
clutching after the world and getting only emptiness. 
They get a vision of earthly happiness. It seems real. 
They chase it and clutch it, and are astonished that 
they get nothing. They get a glimpse of worldly 
honor. It is a charming halo. It floats just before 
them. They reach out after it, and get nothing. They 
reach again and get nothing. They grasp exactly 
where the halo was, but there is nothing there, and 
late in life they discover that they have been chasing 
shadows. 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 91 

GHevances 

If a man is wounded he puts a bandage over the 
wound and keeps it out of sight till it heals. If he 
takes the bandage off and shows it to everyone he 
meets it will never heal. And people do not like to 
have old sores shown to them. It is a disgusting 
spectacle. Not more so than to have persons uncover 
their old grievances and rehearse them to all they 
meet. Injuries ten, twenty years old are kept fresh 
and sore by this process, and people are disgusted by 

the recital of them. 

Habit 

Rivers are very useful things when they always 
run in the same channels. The proud steamboat floats 
along them, a thing of use and a thing of beauty. The 
bulky products of States and nations are readily trans- 
ported from place to place. Farmhouses, towns, 
cities spring up along their banks, and the glimmering 
water adds a peculiar charm to the landscape. But if 
a river overpowers its banks, and forsakes its ancient 
bed, it ceases to have either use or beauty — it becomes 
an instrument of terror. An ordinary freshet strews 
its shores with desolation, and we can readily imagine 
what would be the condition of our country if its riv- 
ers should choose to run here and there at random 
instead of confining themselves to their usual courses. 
The Missouri River in time of high water sometimes 
plows its way through farms, and transfers territory 
from one State to another. The Hoang-Ho changed 



92 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

its channel in time of freshet, and estimates placed the 
loss of life somewhere from one to seven millions. 

All this serves to illustrate a principle common to 
human life. Men incline to run in grooves. As soon 
as a man chooses his lifework he begins to wear a 
channel for himself, and the more thoroughly he con- 
fines himself to that channel the larger will be his 
attainments in his chosen pursuit. The ablest law- 
yers were only lawyers — they aimed to be nothing 
else. The ablest preachers were only preachers. The 
ablest physicians were only physicians. The most 
noted scientists devoted themselves exclusively to sci- 
ence. In a certain Northern city was a colored man 
who was lawyer, preacher, whitewasher, and man of 
all work. He failed at everything. 

The power of acquiring habits is inherent in man*s 
nature; but, like all the blessings of the Creator, it 
may be turned to a curse. Habit has made and un- 
made men. If habit is our servant it is a most valu- 
able assistant; if it is allowed to become our master it 
may grind us in the most abject slavery. 

Hardship 

Human history has fully proved that hardship is 
not a popular, but a very thorough and useful, school- 
master. The experiences of our civil war were re- 
markably successful in developing strong men out of 
commonplace boys. Strange as it may seem, it was 
there demonstrated many times that going without 
food and water, sleeping on the frosty ground, march- 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 93 

ing under a heavy knapsack through mud and snow, 
dragging a boat along a Southern bayou up to the 
middle in mud, riding on horseback one hundred 
miles a day, and going under the deadly cloud of the 
battlefield, would make a man out of poorer material 
than almost any other experience. 

The great advantage of a soldier's discipline was 
that it was useless to complain; and any whining 
would only subject to laughter and ridicule. If such 
slashing discipline would not cure men of softness, 
self-conceit, and always having ague just at the time 
of battle, there was little hope that such soldiers would 
ever become men. 

Parents often shield their children from all hard- 
ships, greatly to the detriment of the children. If 
parents wish their children to make a mark in life they 
will do well to throw them on their own resources, and 
let them understand that they must pursue some other 
business in life than hanging around home waiting for 
their parents to die. 

I was passing through a forest one day and saw a 
young sapling growing out of the root of an old tree. 
There was plenty of good, rich soil all about, but that 
foolish sapling insisted on drawing its support from 
the parent stalk. I believe that trees never flourish 
which grow in that way. 

And that young man will flourish most and produce 
most fruit who drops like seed into a fresh soil, strikes 
down roots for himelf, shoots out branches for him- 
self, and draws his nourishment from nature, rather 



94 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

than to grow as a sucker at the root of the paren- 
tal tree. 

We have sometimes — ^not always — been able to see 
how the hardships of life have developed us and made 
the most of us. I raised some tomato plants in the 
house one spring and kept them carefully under cover 
till all the frosts and cold winds were past. In trans- 
planting them into pots there was not room for some 
of the poorest and smallest, so I set them in the 
ground out of doors in the cold, while the choice ones 
I kept carefully in the house. 

There were several frosts, and many fierce winds 
swept over the outdoor plants before warm weather 
came. I covered them up a little on very cold nights, 
hardly expecting they would live, and not caring 
whether they did or not. They looked purple and 
pinched for a time, but in the end they were the best 
plants I had. While the others were growing up thin 
and tall in the house, these were striking their roots 
down deep into the soil; and when the warm weather 
finally came they were ready to grow, while the others 
were not. 

The children of hardship and struggle generally 
outstrip the children of ease and luxury. 

Heaven 

The poet sings : 

"Then shall I see, and hear, and know 
All I desired or wished below." 

Is that true? Of what measure of expansion will 
our intellects be capable? The circumference is very 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 95 

near the center here; we reach darkness very near 
home here — how far shall we stretch out there? Will 
mysteries dissolve like mists before the morning sun, 
when the light of eternity breaks upon us ; or will they 
hang about us as thick and impenetrable as they do in 
our earthly history? 

Will all doubts be resolved? Will all problems un- 
fold their solution to our minds? Will all our igno- 
rance be chased away ? Shall we be protected from all 
mistakes and errors there; or shall we grope along 
slowly, laboriously, unsatisfactorily, in the pursuit of 
knowledge as we do here? 

Our eyes see the stars in the heavens as little specks 
of light. Our telescopes reveal the planets merely as 
large shining silver coins — with the stamp of God up- 
on them, to be sure — but so far away that we cannot 
distinctly read the lettering. God undoubtedly sees a 
star a thousand million miles away as though it were 
present. Will we be invested with some such power? 
Will space be annihilated, or partially annihilated, in 
the other world, and distant and present come nearer 
together? Shall we approach nearer to omnipresence 
than we do now, or shall we be limited and hedged in 
as we are here? The great-minded Dr. Samuel John- 
son indulged the thought that life is an endless pro- 
gression ; and this is undoubtedly the grandest concep- 
tion of heaven. 

And what expansion may we look for in our affec- 
tional natures? What laws will govern our sympa- 
thies and loves: the same as now? or shall we be 



96 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

under the control of a new code? Shall we love the 
same persons as here, and for the same reasons, or 
must we start anew, and form new friendships under 
the guidance of different principles? 

In this world persons thrown together come to like 
or dislike each other as the result of association. A 
law, whose operation we cannot explain, draws some 
together and repels others. Thus likes and dislikes 
are generated; thus loves and hates spring up. Un- 
der the operation of this law friendships are formed, 
the marriage relation is established, the family is per- 
petuated, kindred cling together, while neighbors, 
clans, tribes, often hate and fight each other. Will 
these same principles be in operation in the other 
world; or shall we have to begin all over again in 
adjusting our relations to our neighbors? 

The flesh has something to do with earthly friend- 
ships and loves; will our celestial bodies interfere 
with the relations of our spirits, as our terrestrial 
bodies do? 

If it were as easy to answer these questions as to 
ask them much of the mist that hangs over the great 
hereafter would have been cleared up many centu- 
ries ago. 

Helping: Others 

A sick man was brought into the city from the 
country for treatment in the hospital. When the sur- 
geons had done all they could for him he was dis- 
charged from the hospital, and it was necessary to get 
him back to his home, which was eight miles away. 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 97 

The cars did not run there, he was too weak to ride 
in a carriage, and so eight strong men came with a 
stretcher — with mattress and pillow and awning over- 
head, for it was a very hot summer day — and they 
laid the invalid on the stretcher. Four men took hold 
of the handles and carried him, while the other four 
rode in a two-seated wagon behind. When these had 
carried till they were tired they changed places with 
the men in the wagon, and so all day long they alter- 
nated, and carried the sick man to his home, eight 
miles away. 

They passed by my door early in the morning, and 
set the stretcher down to rest a moment. I went out 
to the gate, and looked on a scene that made a deep 
impression on my mind. My first feeling was one of 
sympathy for the eight men. It was intensely hot 
weather, and they were already mopping the perspira- 
tion from their foreheads, though it was early in the 
morning. I said to myself, though not to them, for I 
did not wish to discourage them : "You have under- 
taken to do a great deal for one of your fellows who 
needs help. Your arms will be longer to-night than 
they are now; your muscles will be sore; your tem- 
pers will be ruffled, and you may be sorry for this 
before the sun sets." 

This was the surface view — the view we are apt to 
take when we see some of our fellows doing so much 
for others — wearing out their lives to save others — 
giving till their friends say, "You will catch cold and 
die before your time; or you will impoverish your- 



98 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

selves and end your days in the poorhouse." There 
are such people in every community. 

I told this story in a sermon at a church where I 
had formerly been a pastor, and at the close of the 
service one of the leading men said to me: "You 
described my daughter this morning. She has been 
running the streets in all kinds of weather, looking 
after all sorts of people, until she took cold, and had 
to go to bed and couldn't come to hear you this 
morning." He said this with an emphasis and impa- 
tience which clearly indicated that he thought she was 
going beyond all reason in such work. I was quite 
inclined to take the same view when I looked on these 
eight men. 

But there came a second thought, not quite so ob- 
vious, but a much truer and better thought. I said 
to myself again, "1 wonder if any one of these men 
would be willing to change places with the poor man 
on the stretcher, and become one who needs help 
rather than one who is able to help others?" I did not 
hesitate a moment to answer : "No ; you could not per- 
suade any one of these strong men to become one who 
is ministered unto rather than one who is able to min- 
ister to others. They are proud of the fact that they 
have strength to do just such work as this, hard work 
though it is, and they find the highest joy of life in 
doing it." 

Then I remembered that Christ, "for the joy that 
was set before him, endured the cross, despising the 
shame;" and taught us the high lesson that if we are 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 99 

determined to save our life we shall lose it, but if we 
are willing to lose our life in doing his work we shall 
find it. The noblest joy we ever know is the joy of 
helping and blessing and saving others. 

Heredity 

I sat working in my study in the early autumn, and 
often my meditations were disturbed by the dropping 
of unripe pears from the trees in a garden just out- 
side the window. At very brief intervals the stillness 
would be broken by a heavy thud as a pear fell to the 
ground. They were falling before their time; they 
were diseased, worm-eaten. A fly had laid its egg in 
the blossom, and from the very beginning the worm 
was hatched in the core of the fruit; and this prema- 
ture fall was the completion of that deadly work. 

Here is an illustration of the progress of evil in 
human nature. It grows with the growth of the 
soul — festers in the very center of life, born there with 
the birth of the child, until at last spiritual death is 
the result; and often the sinner suddenly and prema- 
turely goes down to the grave with a fall that startles 
the community in which he lives. 

It is a peculiarity of a bean vine that it never grows 
in a straight line, but will grow round and round a 
pole which is set for it to run upon. Probably not one 
person in ten can tell, without looking, which way the 
bean vine twists about the pole, whether to the right 
or left. 

The secret of this twist in the bean vine can be 

LoTC. 



100 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

traced back to the nature of the bean. It has been 
asserted that the little germ lying in the heart of the 
bean is already curved, and ready as soon as it grows 
to follow a curved line. I will not be responsible for 
the truth of this assertion. A person can soak a bean 
in water for a few hours, and open it, and determine 
for himself. At any rate, the secret of the twist in 
the bean vine lies in the very heart of the bean, and in 
other beans before it. 

And if you search for the secret of a bad life you 
will find it in a bad heart. If you wonder why some 
families so persistently run into certain vices— one to 
drunkenness, another to dishonesty, another to licen- 
tiousness — ^you will find the explanation in certain 
biases which they inherited from their ancestors. 
There was a twist in the very germ of life within them 
when they were bom. 

Some one will say, at once, that the twist in a bean 
vine cannot be cured; it is in the very nature of the 
plant. You may try to wind it the other way around 
the pole as often as you like, and it will quietly slip 
down again, and begin to go up its own way. I have 
tried it more than once. 

Certainly ! Man cannot take the twist out of a bean 
vine. But God has never tried to do it. Let him who 
made it but put his hand upon it, and he could easily 
make it go the other way around the pole. 

And it is God who undertakes to take the twist out 
of crooked human nature. It is the peculiarity of the 
Gospel method of salvation that God does the work; 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 101 

and if that be the case no amount of depravity or 
crookedness can vitiate it. 

Hoe-men 

Their mission is to cut up weeds, and the process 
keeps them bright and sharp. We may oppose them, 
as the stone or baked earth opposes the progress of the 
hoe, but they will cut up weeds in spite of all opposi- 
tion. Hoe-men are great benefactors of the race. In 
defiance of unpopularity they continue to uproot er- 
ror and mellow the soil about truth. That they are 
often, perhaps always, unpopular is proof of their 
great utility. Men will often defend their vices much 
more courageously than they will their virtues. I am 
not sure that any of us enjoy seeing other people slash 
around in our gardens, even though they profess to be 
cutting down weeds. We prefer to do it ourselves; 
but the trouble is we often neglect it. 

This process of hoeing only mellows the soil, to be 
sure, and weeds will spring up again with renewed 
vigor; but we are likely to get hoed again by some 
one, if we are not wise enough to do it ourselves. In 
the meantime, also, the plants are getting a good start. 

Our best and most frequent hoeings come in youth. 
Almost anyone is willing to give us attention at this 
period of our existence. And we probably need it 
most at this period. The plants are small and tender, 
while the weeds are hardy and vigorous. As the sum- 
mer of life advances our gardeners get weary, or, it 
may be, conceive a great respect for us, and so do not 



102 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

quite dare to do their duty. This often happens. It 
is very unfortunate for a man to be habitually wrong 
and not know it himself, while he is so hedged about 
by a kind of false dignity that no one dares tell him 
of his faults. It is well for "that boy," and ''that girl," 
that people do not hesitate to make a little more free 
with their misdoings. 

Another reason why we are neglected later in life 
is because our gardeners see that the corn, and pota- 
toes, and onions have got a good start, and they think 
themselves sure of a crop without further trouble. 
The difficulty of getting at the weeds at this season 
of the year also has some weight. The vegetables 
have become large and hide them. At first they looked 
for plants among the weeds, now they look for weeds 
among the plants. In this way many weeds are suf- 
fered to grow, and as summer passes on to autumn 
these weeds become tall and rank, and the vegetables 
are once more hidden from view. In fact, such a gar- 
den looks like one that has not been hoed at all. A 
casual observer might fail to see the difference. But 
there is a vast difference. If a garden has been thor- 
oughly hoed during the early part of the summer it 
will bear some neglect during the latter part. And if 
the boy has been faithfully trained the man will not 
need so much attention. 

In an unhoed garden there may be as many plants 
as in one thoroughly hoed, but they are tall, pale, and 
fruitless, hardly distinguishable from weeds, and prac- 
tically no better than weeds. On the other hand, the 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 103 

garden that has been hoed in early summer, although 
apparently full of weeds, is likewise full of fruits. 
Down among the weeds, if we will only look for it, 
there is a rich, ripe harvest. I once saw a man dig- 
ging some potatoes by the roadside, and he first with 
a scythe mowed down a rank crop of weeds that was 
growing above the potatoes. 

It often happens that old men*s minds are very 
weedy ; suffered to become so late in life, after the 
plants were well matured. Offensive habits become 
fastened on them; wrong views of life cut them off 
from all sympathy with the present; forbidding tem- 
pers repel all who approach, and they are looked upon 
as gardens containing nothing but weeds. If, how- 
ever, we will take the trouble to enter fully into their 
acquaintance and history, if we will work our way in 
among the weeds, though we may get pricked by 
thistles, and covered with burs, we shall find an abun- 
dant harvest of good works. 

Home 

The true home is always a place of love ; the atmos- 
phere of love pervades the farthest corners of the 
house. There is not merely love in the family room, 
where the inmates gather together; but there is love 
at the table; there is love in the kitchen; and all 
through the hours of the night in every chamber the 
inmates are breathing the air of love. If a child 
awakens in the darkness it feels safe, for it is at home; 
father and mother are near by, brothers and sisters are 



J 



104 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

all around. If a cry of distress conies from the far- 
thest room, of the highest story, at the midnight hour, 
the whole house is aroused in a moment. One makes 
a light, another quickens the fire, another goes for a 
physician, and everything is done that love and anx- 
iety can suggest. And though the call of distress may 
come from the servants' rooms there are still the same 
tender solicitude and kind ministration. 

So it is in the great home of God's children. Love 
pervades it. The good Father loves us more tenderly 
than v^ords can express. And though v^e may have 
attained no dearer relation than that of servant, 
though we may sleep in the farthest attic of the uni- 
verse, yet every cry of suffering catches the Father's 
ear and brings to our need his kindest ministrations. 
He has said, *'Like as a father pitieth his children, so 
the Lord pitieth them that fear him." 

Humiliation of Christ 

It was a spectacle of infinite love and self-sacrifice 
when the Son of God came down to save sinful men. 

The lower, more sinful, more degraded the person 
we love, the more that love will cost us of humilia- 
tion and self-sacrifice. And so we are accustomed to 
choose our friends from among the virtuous and re- 
spectable, lest we should suffer too much on account 
of our love. We steer clear of those whose acquaint- 
ance and friendship will cost us very much of money, 
pride, or social standing. We hold the vile and de- 
graded at a safe distance, because a love for such will 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 105 

be a great load upon us. We will not let ourselves 
know the needs and sufferings of those about us for 
fear it will prove too great a tax on our purses and 
sympathies. 

It is hard work so to love the degraded and sinful 
as to lift them up and save them. The most of men 
never do enough of this intense loving to get hardened 
to it. It is like straining muscles that are not accus- 
tomed to work. 

Once in a great while we let our love fasten on 
some poor creature, and the result is that our feelings 
are deeply stirred, our sympathies are put on the rack, 
our purses are bled, and the chances are that we get 
tired of it before the task is finished, and would gladly 
turn it over to some one else. And when one such ex- 
perience is ended we take a long rest before we entef 
upon another. 

We need not be told how absolutely unlike all this 
was the voluntary humiliation and self-sacrifice of 
Christ. He came with help and salvation to all the 
sinful, sorrowing millions of earth ; and he did not 
stop among the respectable classes of society, but 
stooped down to lift up the lowest and vilest; stooped 
down to such, when doing so turned the more respect- 
able classes against him. 

Immanence of God 

The universe takes its dimensions from that God 
who fills it. It could not be less than boundless, or it 
would not contain God. God fills it, and fills it with 



106 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

such a volume and intensity of presence that there is 
room in it for no other being like himself. There is 
room in it, however, for subordinate beings like our- 
selves, who live in God as a dwelling place, according 
to the daring illustration of the Bible. A vessel filled 
with large stones will hold no more stones, but there 
is yet room in it for water, or air, or fine seed. A 
building filled full with the atmosphere will yet find 
room for the sunlight. 

In like manner, the universe has no room for two 
such beings as the Christian's God; but there is room 
for one such being, and subordinate beings like our- 
selves who live in him and by him. 

The same is true of all material things. God per- 
vades them, and upholds them, and is necessary to 
their existence. He finds rooms in the universe for 
the various forms of matter, which are distinct from 
him yet dependent on him. And it is most likely that 
all attempts to prove the unreality of material things 
will result in failure. Jealousy for the honor of God 
does not make it necessary to deny the actual exist- 
ence of everything else in the universe. 

Importunity in Prayer 

Our children have sometimes asked me for some- 
thing, and I did not respond at once, but kept the 
thing in mind, and the next day have said, "What was 
it you asked for yesterday?" They had forgotten all 
about it. Such wants are not very pressing. 

If God should ask many of us, "What was it you 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 107 

asked for yesterday ?" or ''last week ?" it might trouble 
us to remember. 

Once, however, the little girl broke her doll car- 
riage, and brought it to me with tears in her eyes, to 
know if I could fix it. I looked it over and told her I 
thought I could. Then she wanted to know if I would 
fix it. I did not reply at once; so she clung to me, 
pleaded, and gave me no peace, until I finally said that 
I could not fix it at once, but would do so when I 
had time. 

This satisfied her; but at short intervals she would 
say, "Papa, are you going to fix my carriage to-day?*' 
"Papa, here is a letter for you ; you didn't fix my car- 
riage yet," until I had to fix it in self-defense. I 
found out that she wanted it fixed; and God may dc^ 
sire to find out if we really want anything. 

Insfratxttsde 

I once took some little trouble to open a gate and 
release a small dog that had been accidentally shut up 
in a narrow inclosure, and the animal was no sooner 
outside the gate than it turned and barked at me spite- 
fully and furiously. Such ingratitude in a dog may 
be overlooked; but in respectable human beings grati- 
tude is regarded as a natural and necessary virtue, and 
ingratitude has justly been called the basest of 
crimes. In the relations of men it is no uncommon 
thing for favors to be rewarded with ill will and 
injury, until many persons get discouraged in trying 
to do good. 



108 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

The most widespread ingratitude, however, is, no 
doubt, on the part of men toward God. Multitudes 
receive his favors year after year and requite them 
with indifference, neglect, and often positive dislike. 
Men receive from God riches, honor, health, and hap- 
piness, and then willfully and persistently do what 
they know will displease the divine Giver. And in such 
a course they comfort themselves with the thought that 
God never gets discouraged in doing good to sinful 
men. 

Knockingf 

Christ says, "Knock, and it shall be opened unto 
you." Bunyan represents Mercy as knocking at the 
wicket gate which leads to the way of life, and the 
only response for a time was the barking of a 
fierce dog within the gate, which greatly frightened 
her. This dog represents the obstacles that stand 
in our way when knocking at the gate of every 
blessing. 

An incident of personal experience has fixed this 
fact in my mind as perhaps nothing else could. One 
beautiful summer morning I planned to climb Mount 
Skiddaw, in the north of England, and see the sun- 
rise. It was necessary to start up the mountain about 
two o'clock in the morning — long before daylight — 
as the distance was great. I was a young man then, 
with a proud contempt of guides, and so went out 
of the village the night before toward the mountain, 
that I might learn the way so thoroughly as to be able 
to follow it in the darkness of the morning. About 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 109 

two o'clock in the morning I started, but soon lost my 
way in the darkness. It was either come back or go 
straight up the mountain side without reference to 
paths. I decided to do the latter. 

I soon came to the gate of a private castle, which 
I had seen the night before well up the side of the 
mountain, and determined to knock at the keeper's 
lodge for information. No sooner did the vigorous 
thumping on the gate break the stillness of night than 
a huge watch dog presented his head over the high 
wall and set up a vigorous and savage growling. I at 
once decided that I could do without information, and 
made my way up the mountain side as best I could, 
but did not reach the top till long after sunrise. I con- 
fess that all these years I have felt half ashamed of 
my retreat, but I had heard bad stories about English 
bulldogs. 

Bunyan has truly represented the case. No sooner 
does the sinner knock at the gate of mercy than the 
devil begins to bark and frighten him away. Like the 
famous pilgrims, we must knock "more than once or 
twice,** and at length the dog will cease to bark, and 
the gate will be opened to us. 

Last Words 

If a man is ever going to see things in their right 
light it is when he stands on the border of two worlds, 
one of which he is leaving and the other entering. He 
can look back over this life, and have the benefit that 
experience gives; while it seems to be a fact that a 



110 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

clearer light shines on him from the other life while 
he occupies that position. It is this fact that leads 
men to listen when a dying man speaks. 

A Christian man was stricken down by paralysis, 
and as I talked with him at his bedside he said to me, 
with great energy : ^It's all right. I am learning some 
lessons here that I need to know before I can get my 
diploma." In a few weeks he finished his schooling 
on earth. Many a theologian has failed, through 
labored pages, to say it as well. 

A faithful Christian woman was stricken by the 
same dread malady; and she had, in her helplessness, 
preeminently one sorrow and one joy. She enjoyed 
beyond measure the social meetings of the church, and 
her favorite hymn, which she often started, was, 
"Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine." As I talked with 
her she wept in deep sorrow because she could not 
go to the prayer meeting any more ; and in connection 
with that sorrow she said : "It is a great joy and com- 
fort to me now that I did go when I could." It means 
a great deal to be able to say that in the dying hour. 

Law of Love 

It is true that we cannot make ourselves love Christ 
by an effort of the will, for love must seek its object 
in harmony with the laws of mind; but we can be- 
come acquainted with him, and the laws of mind will 
do the rest. 

It is one of the laws of our being that persons 
thrown together come to love each other — unless there 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 111 

is some radical and persistent incompatibility, which 
is a rare exception. 

It is because of this law that persons are responsible 
for the love which so often leads to ill-assorted mar- 
riages. Persons should not associate with those whom 
they ought not to marry ; it is hazardous business. 

And it is this law which often saves loveless mar- 
riages from total wreck. Most persons come to love 
each other when they live together for a length of 
time. 

There is a baby in the orphanage a year old. You 
do not love that baby. You care nothing about it; 
you know nothing about it. You cannot make your- 
self love that baby. But there is something you can 
do. You can adopt it as your own child, take it to 
your home, feed it, care for it, sleep with it, and at 
the end of six months you will love it so that you 
could not be induced to let it go out of your house. 

I knew a poor man who took a little baby to keep 
for pay. He needed the money, and agreed to keep 
this little child for so much per week. After a few 
months the pay ceased; and this poor family fed, 
clothed, reared this child to manhood for nothing, 
though financially not able to do so, because they had 
learned to love it, and could not bear to let it go. 

Apply this philosophy of human nature and human 
life to the Saviour, who has declared that he would 
draw all men unto him, and a love for Christ will be 
the inevitable result. I heard a young convert say in 
a love feast, "If any man does not love Jesus it is be- 



112 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

cause he does not know him/* That was a very wise 
remark. There is something so beautiful and lovable 
about Christ that if we will only know him he will 
take care of the rest. 

''Let Yo«r Light Shine '^ 

I lived in a certain village where, in the absence of 
street lamps, the people used to put lamps in their 
front windows at night to light the passers-by. It 
was a beautiful custom, and illustrates a great spirit- 
ual truth. 

As Christians we should not forget that our light 
is only borrowed light, and the light we shed on 
others is only reflected light. Christ is the sun, we 
are the moon, deriving our light from him. 

The moon only shines because the sun shines upon 
it, and the sun's light is reflected by the moon, as a 
hand mirror will throw the light of the sun about in 
any direction. A dark corner, which the sun could 
not reach directly, can be lighted up by a reflector; 
but it is the sunlight that lights up the dark corner by 
means of the reflector. 

A woman had been sick for a few days, and, when 
well enough to be about the room, saw her son playing 
in the street in front of the house. She wished to call 
him, but thought it imprudent to open a window or 
go to the door, and so took a hand mirror, which she 
held obliquely toward the sun, as it was shining 
directly in at the window. The hand glass threw the 
rays of the sun into the boy's face, and he looked up 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 113 

to see where the light came from. By this means his 
mother was able to beckon to him to come into the 
house. 

In like manner we may reflect the light of Christ 
upon others, and perchance may arrest their attention 
and beckon them to a higher and better life. 

Now, there are two ways by which the light of the 
moon can be obscured for us ; either when something 
gets between the sun and moon, or when something 
gets between us and the moon. An eclipse of the 
moon represents the former, and a cloud passing over 
the face of the moon represents the latter. 

A hand mirror will represent the same interesting 
fact. The light of the sun falls on the mirror and is 
reflected to a dark corner which the sun cannot reach. 
The sunlight may be cut off from the dark corner in 
two ways: an object may be interposed between the 
mirror and the sun, or between the mirror and the 
dark corner. In either case the sunlight will be shut 
away from the dark corner. 

All this illustrates the spiritual light which Chris- 
tians may shed on their fellow-men. Whenever any- 
thing comes between the Christian and Christ the 
heavenly light is in a moment obscured, not only for 
himself, but for his fellow-men upon whom he may 
shine. He cannot shine upon others while Christ does 
not shine upon him. Again, the Christian's light is 
obscured for a fellow-man whenever anything comes 
between him and that fellow-man. Differences, mis- 
understandings, disputes may produce this result. 



114 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

Peculiarities of temperament in a Christian may kill 
his influence with others, while yet the light of Christ 
falls on his own soul. It is necessary to keep the 
channel open both Godward and manward. 

Life Eternal 

What a joy it will be to get matters into just the 
right condition, and have them remain so. It will be 
a new experience, for such is not the case in this 
world. 

A man grows to maturity; his physical and mental 
powers are at their best ; he has a prosperous business, 
ample means, a comfortable home, and a pleasant fam- 
ily about him, and he says to himself, ''Now I have 
got things where I want them, and all I ask is that 
they remain where they are.'* But that is not a ra- 
tional expectation in this world. 

In a few years his bodily powers begin to decline; 
his hand trembles so that he cannot carry a glass of 
water to his lips without being reminded that he is 
growing old; his step falters; his eyes grow dim, and 
he must disfigure his face with glasses; gray hairs 
appear; the mind is hampered by the declining body; 
the memory fails; protracted mental exertion becomes 
impossible, and he is compelled to admit that he is 
not what he once was. 

In the meantime his family has grown up and gone 
from him. Some of them perhaps are lying in the 
grave; and his steps awaken dismal echoes in the old 
house which was once the scene of gladness. It may 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 115 

be that in addition to all these changes his prop- 
erty has become impaired and he feels the pinch 
of poverty. But a wreck remains of all that was 
once so satisfactory. 

How our hearts long for an experience that will 
abide ! The glory of the other life is that it is eternal. 
We shall get things just as we want them, and just 
as God wants them, and they will stay so forever. 

Life More Abundant 

It is quite evident that the measure of vitality is 
not the same in any two persons. All are alive, but 
all have not the same fullness of life. The pulse is 
quicker and stronger in some than in others. 

That the new birth does not endow all Christians 
with the same amount of spiritual life is likewise a 
matter of common observation. A brother minister 
used an illustration of this difference for which I 
gladly give him credit. 

In the springtime two lambs make their appear- 
ance on the green earth, and one week after birth one 
of them is bounding over the pasture, kicking its heels 
mto the air, so full of life that it can hardly contain 
itself; while the other is under the kitchen stove in a 
basket, wrapped up in cotton, just breathing, and little 
more. Both lambs are alive, but there is a vast differ- 
ence in the amount of life they possess. 

Christians exhibit the same variations in spiritual 
vitality. It will avail very little to ask the reasons 
why. It is more to the purpose to consider that the 



116 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

lamb under the stove may recover from its feebleness 
and become as full of life as the other ; and so may the 
weakest Christian grov^ to be strong, robust, and full 
of spiritual life. 

Like Christ 

It doesn't say that we shall be equal to Christ, but 
like him. We shall not be as great, not as exalted, not 
as wise, not as glorious as the matchless Christ, but 
like him; possessing the same elements of character 
in our humble measure that he possesses without 
measure. 

The humblest man or woman may have as much 
character as an angel; and character is the supreme 
test. A small diamond may flash the sunlight as bril- 
liantly as a large one; and a humble saint may reflect 
the Christ-likeness as perfectly as Paul or Luther or 
Wesley. 

A gas jet looks like the sun. It is small indeed, and 
the sun is immense, but it has the true sun-likeness ; is 
of the same essence as the sun; gives forth the same 
light and heat; and confers identically the same bless- 
ings on mankind in small measure as the sun does in 
superabundant measure. It resembles the sun as much 
as does a burning world. And the humblest saint 
may have the Christ-likeness as perfectly brought out 
as a prophet or an apostle. 

And there are first that shall be last, and the last 
first. How trivial are the differences in earthly great- 
ness ! In comparing earthly fires with the sun it matters 
little whether we use a candle or a burning mountain ; 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 117 

both sink into insignificance, but they may equally 
have the sun-likeness. 

And judged by the standard of Christ's likeness, in 
the great day, many apostles, and prophets, and mar- 
tyrs, and great men of earth may fall to the rear; 
while some humble, unknown ones may come to the 
front as the most perfect types of Christians. Here is 
a kind of greatness that the humblest may strive for. 

And it will be honor enough — glory enough — ^to be 
like Christ; think his thoughts; feel as he feels; and 
shine with the same beauty of character that has made 
him the admiration of the world. It will be heaven 
enough to be in our measure what Christ is in his. 

Limitingf God 

Dr. Patrick Fairbairn, the celebrated Scotch divine, 
in a lecture before his class in the Free Church Col- 
lege, Glasgow, which I heard, told of a minister who 
was thrown into great perplexity respecting his duty 
in a certain matter, but after long praying and wait- 
ing could get no light. Finally he became impatient, 
and fixed a test to decide the matter. In going to a 
certain place he determined, if he found matters so 
and so, to decide one way, but if he found matters 
otherwise to decide the other way. When he reached 
his destination he found things entirely different from 
any of his forecasts, and was more puzzled than ever. 
Dr. Fairbairn thought it wrong to make such tests, 
and advised patient waiting for providential guidance, 
however long it might require. 



118 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

Love for Christ 

Love for Christ is the first grace planted in the soul 
at conversion, and it is often very intense at the very 
outset. The Saviour comes to our cold, dark natures 
to renovate them, and the first thing he does is to make 
a fire; and this fire serves to give light and warmth 
while other things are put to rights. 

A company of pioneers go into a dense forest to 
clear the land and make for themselves a home. All 
is cold and gloomy and desolate about them. The 
first thing they do is to build a rousing fire in the 
midst of the desolation, to dispel the gloom, frighten 
away the wild beasts, and give light and warmth to 
those who are shivering in the cold. 

It may be months, even years, before these trees will 
all be felled, the beasts destroyed, houses erected, and 
the land put under thorough cultivation ; but they may 
have a cheerful fire from the very first, and this fire 
will be of great service in all their subsequent 
struggles. 

In like manner, it will require many years to de- 
velop complete Christian characters, destroy all our 
spiritual enemies, and bring to perfection the graces 
of the soul; but in the meantime there may be a fire 
in the camp, the love of Christ may be burning 
brightly in our hearts from the hour of conversion 
until the hour of final triumph — a light to guide and 
a fire to warm us. This fire is a positive necessity. 
The affairs of life cannot be carried on without a fire; 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 119 

no more can the processes of the Christian life go for- 
ward without the love of Christ burning in the soul. 
It is an assurance of salvation, a fitness for Christian 
work, a comfort in trouble, and a defense against the 
enemies of the Christian life. 

Love of Money 

I knew a mechanic, a member of a Christian church, 
who was a faithful Christian while he was working 
for wages and living in a humble way. But he de- 
veloped a love for money and an ability to get it. He 
used to buy old houses in the outskirts of the city and 
repair them for sale or rental. In this way he made 
large profits; but as money increased religion de- 
creased. A mean, miserly spirit grew upon him. 
Stormy days he spent straightening crooked nails in 
the old buildings he had under repair; and after he 
became a rich man I have seen him riding through the 
streets of the city sitting on a board thrown across the 
top of a dilapidated one-horse wagon, with an old 
shabby coat on his back, and a tall, battered, ancient 
silk hat on his head, which dated back to the days of 
his piety and respectability. 

He ceased to give to the cause of Christ, took no in- 
terest in the affairs of religion, and lost all hope of a 
blessed hereafter. When he drew near the end of 
life — a miserly, miserable, old rich man — he said that 
if he could be induced to give away all his money he 
might save his soul, but as it was he felt that he was 
going to perdition. He did not give away his money, 



120 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

but died as he had lived during the latter years of 
his life. 

The Bible says that the love of money is a "root 
of all evil." In fruit raising they take some hardy 
variety that will live in all climates, and bud into it 
any number of different varieties, so that one tree will 
bear many kinds of fruit. I have seen a pear tree 
whose every limb was a different variety. Such a 
hardy plant is this love of money. It will survive all 
circumstances, and live in all climates, and upon it 
may be grafted every species of evil. Almost every 
conceivable sin has been committed through love of 
money. 

Love that Is Warm 

There is no dearth of love, but it too often requires 
some great occasion to call it into exercise. We may 
strike fire with a flint, but it is a laborious way of 
making a fire. We may kindle a fire by rubbing two 
sticks together, but it is a long, tedious process. The 
ordinary experiences of life do not arouse us to action. 
We pass men by every day without a word of kind- 
ness; but if some great calamity falls upon them we 
pour out our sympathies in overabundance. We must 
see men on the brink of destruction before we will 
run to the rescue. 

A wretched murderer in New Jersey was in prison 
awaiting his execution, and, as is usual, he was over- 
run by ministers and Christians urging him to repent 
and believe on Christ; but he put them fiercely away, 
saying he knew and cared nothing about Christ. And 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 121 

then he made this terrible remark : "If I had received 
one tenth part of this attention twenty years ago I 
would never have been here." We wait too long, and 
then overdo the matter. We should take fire more 
easily. The love within us should be near the surface, 
where men can warm themselves by it in the daily 
intercourse of life. 

Love that Saves Mtist Be Mutual 

The love of God is the basis of human salvation; 
but the love must be returned if that object is accom- 
plished. Mutual love is salvation. 

This great truth respecting the relations of God and 
men is most beautifully illustrated by human relations. 
The law seems to be universal that love must be mu- 
tual if happiness is to flow from it. Love is a joyous 
thing when it is mutual, but if it exists on one side 
only the result is misery. 

The Roman poet said many centuries ago: 

"Yes, loving is a painful thrill, 
And not to love more painful still; 
But O, it is the worst of pain 
To love and not be loved again." 

If in the relation of husband and wife one loves but 
not the other there can be happiness to neither. Such 
a relation can be attended by nothing but pain and 
heartache. 

And if parents love their children but the children 
do not return the love, or if children try to love cruel 



122 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

and unloving parents, such a household will be the 
center of strife and misery. 

The same great principle holds in the household 
of God — mutual love is the foundation of eternal 
happiness. 

Surely there is no failure on God's part; he loves 
us with an infinite tenderness. As children of God we 
have this matchless consolation — God loves us. In 
all our toils, and sorrows, and sufferings; in pain, and 
sickness, and mourning, and death; in turmoil, and 
conflict, and defeat ; in struggle, and failure, and loss ; 
in hatreds, and jealousies, and strifes; in shortcom- 
ings, and wanderings, and sins, we have the supreme 
consolation that God loves us, whoever else does not. 

What if it were otherwise? What if he hated us, 
as some earthly parents do their children? What if 
he were indifferent to our welfare? It would be the 
easiest thing in the world for him to plague, and 
thwart, and torment us, if his heart were cold toward 
his earthly children. We should be but babies in his 
hands. 

But God loves us. The one great, blessed truth 
that is blazoned on nature and revelation is that "God 
is love." And this sublime truth shall survive ''the 
wreck of matter and the crush of worlds." But, alas ! 
this is not enough. A one-sided love even here is bar- 
ren of salvation and joy. The love must be mutual if 
eternal happiness is to result from it. We must love 
God in return. 

If it were possible for us to love God while he did 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 123 

not love us ; if he were a being that hated and despised 
us, and we in our helplessness should try to stretch up 
toward him with love and tenderness, our love would 
bring no happiness to him, while it would bring only 
anguish and despair to ourselves. 

And God's great love for us only causes him to 
grieve and mourn over us, as a father does over a 
wayward son, so long as we do not return that love. 
This great thought may be powerless to move us, but 
we ought to be moved by the solemn and sad thought 
that God's unspeakable love cannot bring joy and sal- 
vation to us so long as we do not return that love. 
The ground of eternal happiness is a mutual love be- 
tween God and his children. 

Lwgfgfagfc 

The athletes on the race course never thought of 
carrying luggage with them, and they even stripped 
themselves of clothing just as far as possible. This 
rendered their limbs free for rapid action. The same 
principle applies in all races. When horses are put 
on the track the harness and wagon are made as light 
as possible, and a driver of light weight secured. If 
horses have an advantage from age, or other circum- 
stances, this is overcome by putting a weight upon 
them. 

The great drawback to travel is luggage. All en- 
joyment is destroyed by worry over trunks, boxes, 
and bundles. And if anything is lost we are at once 
depressed in spirits. When a young man I traveled 



124 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

all over Europe with no more luggage than I could 
carry in a valise in one hand, independent of cabs and 
porters ; but I have never been so wise since. 

Soldiers on the rapid march leave everything be- 
hind that can possibly be spared ; and in setting out on 
a campaign knapsacks and tents are all packed up and 
put under guard, while they advance with just so 
much as is absolutely necessary and no more. In 
advancing on Port Hudson during the civil war all 
these things were left behind, and we never saw them 
again. And I have seen soldiers in the rapid charge, 
who could not keep up with the advancing line, throw 
away their last blanket. Keep up they must, though 
they strip themselves to barely clothing and arms. 
The line of march is always marked by luggage 
thrown away — especially if it is a forced march. 
People start out with far more than they have any 
need for. 

Christians forget that they are running a race, or 
making a march, or a journey, or fighting a battle — 
all Scripture illustrations of the religious life — and 
that earthly luggage is the greatest hindrance to their 
progress. The path toward heaven is marked by lug- 
gage thrown away. Some are wise enough to do this, 
while others hold on to the luggage and thus make 
no progress. Much of this luggage cannot be carried 
to the better country ; it must be left behind. Some of 
it may be sent on before, and we shall find it there on 
our arrival. 

We can express our baggage ahead to a foreign 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 125 

country, and find it when we arrive. Or we may for- 
ward money to a foreign bank, and draw on it when 
we reach that country. This seems to be the only way 
to get money to heaven. We cannot carry it with us. 
And most people know how to send money on ahead 
to the better country. 

Trying to drag earth heavenward is fruitless busi- 
ness. It must either be sent on ahead or left behind. 

"The bird let loose in Eastern skies, 

When hastening fondly home, 
Ne'er stoops to earth her wings, nor flies 

Where idle warblers roam; 
But high she shoots through air and light, 

Above all low delay. 
Where nothing earthly bounds her flight, 

Nor shadow dims her way. 

"So grant me, God, from every care 

And stain of passion free, 
Aloft, through virtue's purer air, 

To hold my course to thee! 
No sin to cloud, no lure to stay 

My soul as home she springs; 
Thy sunshine on her joyful way. 

Thy freedom in her wings." 

Men instinctively and wisely seek wives quite the 
opposite of themselves in their leading characteristics. 
Strong, positive, self-willed men very generally get 
wives who are gentle and yielding; and *'strong- 
minded" women are generally mated with men of 
"easy-going" disposition. It would not be safe to as- 



126 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

sert that persons choose companions the opposite of 
themselves because they are not admirers of them- 
selves. Humility is not at the bottom of this choice, 
but a God-given wisdom, for which men can claim no 
credit. ^'God is wiser than man," and his method 
seems to work well. 

A vine and a tree can grow together in perfect har- 
mony — the only danger being that the vine with its 
overtenderness may choke the tree to death. The vine 
may be either the man or the woman. But two great, 
strong trees growing too near together chafe and fret 
each other. In fact, it is on record that two such trees 
in a high wind chafed their branches together until 
they set each other on fire. Such results are not 
utterly unknown in human relations. 

Men and Women in the Church 

It is stated that in the Congregational Church there 
are twice as many women as men. In all the churches 
I have served the proportion is even larger. In 
two churches there were nearly three times as many 
women as men, and in another nearly four times as 
many. I looked carefully over the membership of 
four churches of which I was pastor and found 
twenty-five men whose wives were not Christians, 
and two hundred and thirty-nine wives whose hus- 
bands were not Christians. These figures tell their 
own story. 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 127 

''Narrow Is the Way^ 

Our soldiers confined in the famous Libby Prison 
in Richmond succeeded in digging a small tunnel out 
under the prison wall, a tunnel so narrow that only 
by the most abject crawling could men get themselves 
through it; so narrow that knapsacks, blankets, can- 
teens, and haversacks had to be all left behind; and 
if a man were unusually large it was necessary to strip 
off coat and overcoat in order to get through. It is 
not recorded that any of them complained because 
they were obliged to leave these things behind; they 
were glad on any terms to escape from a loathsome 
prison to the land of home and freedom. 

The spiritual way is so narrow that men must strip 
off all their sins, and when they have done this they 
will not need so much room. The sinner needs a 
broad road, the Christian finds a narrow way suffi- 
cient. The narrow way was wide enough for Girist, 
and the disciple is not above his Lord. 

The sinner's march along the broad way is like the 
progress of the days from summer to winter — each 
day a little shorter and darker, each night a little 
longer and more dismal, until storms and frost hem 
us round; while the Christian's march to heaven in the 
narrow way is like the progress of the days from win- 
ter to summer — each day longer, warmer, and more 
sunny than the last, until the snows begin to melt, and 
the streams to rush along; until the birds begin to 
sing, the grasses to spring from the earth, the flowers 



128 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

to bloom, the trees to take on their beautiful foliage, 
and we break at last into the fragrance, melody, and 
glory of summer. The broad way grows narrower 
and darker; while the narrow way grows broader and 
brighter till it ends in the freedom and blessedness of 
heaven. It "shineth more and more unto the perfect 
day." 

Nearsighted and Fatsighted Christfans 

Some persons are nearsighted. They can see only 
things near at hand. The glories of the heavens 
above are shut out from their view ; the beauties of a 
distant mountain landscape are not for them. It is a 
great misfortune. 

Other persons are farsighted. For them the poet 
expressed a great truth when he said : 

" 'Tis distance lends enchantment to the view, 
And robes the mountain in its azure hue." 

Things near at hand are unobserved, or obscure, 
while things far away have a peculiar charm. 
Ancient and not modern history is their favorite 
study. iEsop in one of his fables tells of an astron- 
omer who, while walking along one night gazing at 
the heavens, fell into a well. A neighbor helped him 
out, but in so doing advised him when studying the 
stars to keep one eye on the earth. 

Both nearsightedness and farsightedness are dis- 
eases of the eye, and are great misfortunes. The per- 
fect eye sees objects both near at hand and afar off 
with distinctness. 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 129 

Some Christians are nearsighted in spiritual things. 
They can see the wants of those immediately about 
them, but are blind to the needs of those across the 
great water. They have warm hearts for the woes of 
those living in their own country, but are frigid to- 
ward all enterprises in foreign lands. They are 
ardent advocates of home missions, but will bluntly 
say that they have no interest in foreign missions. 

Other Christians are farsighted. They let people 
starve on the same street with them, while their eyes 
stretch across all oceans, and they pray and plan for 
the salvation of the heathen. Struggling enterprises 
in their own country appeal to deaf ears, while their 
hearts melt at every cry for help from across the 
water. 

Both of these conditions are defects of spiritual 
vision. The perfect Christian sees the needs of men 
at home and abroad, and subscril^es to the greatest 
sentence that John Wesley uttered — "The world is my 
parish" — which is only a free translation of Christ's 
declaration, "The field is the world." Every intelli- 
gent Christian ought to aim to be broad enough and 
large enough every way to take Christ's view of the 
salvation of men. 

Christ's view is the only true view. It has been 
said that some daring spirit is projecting a flying ma- 
chine which shall shoot several miles up into the 
heavens, so as to survey the earth on a large scale in 
the interests of the weather bureau. We must mount 
up to heaven in order to get a correct view of earth — 



130 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

Christ's view. And when we have secured Christ's 
view we need look no farther, but proceed to carry 
out his comprehensive plan for the salvation of the 
world. 

Neutrality 

In the Atlantic Ocean a conflict is continually going 
on between opposing streams of warm and cold water. 
Warm streams flow northward through the ocean car- 
rying warmth and fruits and flowers to all the coasts ; 
while there are counter currents from the north, in 
the ocean, which bring icebergs and fogs in their 
tracks. 

In human life there are two great currents of thought 
continually opposing each other ; one bringing warmth 
and life to men, the other desolation and death. 
Those who think they see some advantage in the 
advocacy of evil, and those who are sure that right 
is right, and ought to prevail and will prevail, are 
contending for the mastery. It is a deadly and an 
uncompromising conflict. No truce, no armistice, no 
adjustment, no peace till the right triumphs! 

It becomes us to inquire to which great current of 
thought we contribute our little of influence and 
power. Are we contributing to lower the moral tem- 
perature of the world, or to elevate it? Is our influ- 
ence arctic or tropical? Is the product of our lives 
fogs and icebergs, or flowers and fruits? 

Who wants to be neutral in such a conflict? He 
unmans himself who entertains such a wish. A man 
cannot honorably maintain himself on the fence. It 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 131 

is not meant to be a permanent place of abode. There 
is no house on the fence to live in; no chair to sit on; 
no bed to sleep in. It is not a place of comfort or 
safety ; for there is constant danger of falling off. We 
can only honorably stay on a fence long enough to 
climb over from one side to the other — which we have 
a right to do. And we ought to get over quickly — 
for it is a suspicious attitude to maintain. 

And if we are on the fence we are not neutral, after 
all, for that very attitude gives aid to the side of evil 
by withholding our influence from the side of right. 
Christ knocked all respectability and merit out of neu- 
trality when he said, "He that is not with me is 
against me.*' 

Let governments proclaim neutrality, if they will, 
when a strong nation is squeezing the life out of a 
weak one; but let men take sides in the great conflict 
that is going on in the world between right and 
wrong. 

Novel-rcadingf 

A friend told me that she called at a farmhouse one 
summer day between four and five o'clock, and found 
the broom in the middle of the floor, with the dinner 
dishes on the table still unwashed, while the mistress 
of the house, in a slatternly dress, was sitting on the 
floor in a corner, reading a yellow-covered novel. I 
wish to confess that when about seventeen years old I 
read the New York Ledger, a famous story paper, one 
entire winter, and the time was worse than wasted. I 
lived an unreal life, in an unreal atmosphere, among 



132 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

unreal characters; while I was weary of real life and 
sadly neglected its duties. I have great reason to be 
ashamed of that winter. 

If a great character and a great life structure are to 
be erected, the period of youth must be given to some- 
thing more solid than the ordinary novels that fill up 
our libraries. I saw in the morning sunlight a grand 
iceberg floating in mid-ocean. It was a hundred feet 
high, or more, and seemed like a huge crystal palace. 
It appeared to be light and airy, and seemed to rest 
gracefully on the surface of the water ; but those who 
knew best estimated that fully three quarters of the 
mass of ice was under water, out of sight. It required 
three fourths, or more, of the whole to be buried out 
of sight as a foundation on which the other fourth 
might mount in beauty up into the sky. 

It is thus with all grand and massive structures. 
They seem light and graceful, but they rest on broad 
and deep foundations. If youth is spent over solid 
studies, which serve as a substructure, out of sight, we 
may expect to see arise from such a foundation a noble 
character and a useful life. 

Obedience the Test of Love 

It is a very severe test. Whoever pledges absolute 
obedience will be called upon to do many things that 
seem to him unreasonable and unnecessary. 

Soldiers in the army are routed up to march, with- 
out food, in the broiling sun for miles, simply to march 
back again, for no purpose that is visible to them. 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 133 

They are placed in the most uncomfortable positions, 
and left there for hours and days, with apparently no 
purpose in view. It is do and undo, march up the 
hill and march dow^n. But obedience is the first duty 
of a soldier, even though ''some one has blundered;'* 
and an army would be a mob without this obedience. 
The schoolboy concludes that there are many regula- 
tions which seem to him to have no meaning but to 
give him trouble and curtail his enjoyments. 

But obedience is a necessary test in any relation 
where love is the bond that binds persons together. In 
the relation of friendship there must be compliance, 
which is only a softened term for obedience. If two 
persons are friends they must comply with each 
other's wishes, so far as is at all possible, or the 
friendship will soon die. Let two friends adopt the 
practice of saying no to every request, and it is safe 
to say that they will not long be friends. Nothing 
but a higher law of right and wrong, or an im- 
possibility, or some overwhelming reason must run 
athwart this law of compliance, or friendship will 
soon fade away. 

This is equally true in the marriage relation. Let 
husband and wife refuse to yield to each other's pref- 
erences, and exhibit a willful, contrary disposition, 
and a coldness will inevitably grow up between 
them. A true and happy conjugal love can thrive 
only on mutual compliance, and regard for each 
other's wishes. 

Thi^ law will apply even more in the relation of 



134 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

parents and children. No parents will long retain the 
love of their children who say no to all their requests, 
as some parents do. On the other hand, children must 
not suppose that they are maintaining a proper rela- 
tion to their parents unless they render them perfect 
obedience. 

Christ directly applies this principle to the love 
which exists between Saviour and saved. "Ye are 
my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you." 

Old Agfc Beatingf Ftuit 

A Turkish officer eighty years of age was urged, in 
the recent war with Greece, to dismount, so as not to 
draw the enemy's fire upon himself. He replied, "I 
never dismounted in the Russian war, why should I 
do so now?" and he rode on to his death. It is not 
wise for aged Christians to superannuate too soon. 
The Christian life may be one of progress to the very 
end. A deeper insight into the things of God, broader 
knowledge, mightier love, firmer faith, richer benev- 
olence^ — these are the waymarks that indicate progress 
in spiritual things. 

Omnipresence 

A company of soldiers must march up in line to 
receive their rations one by one. A troop of children 
will make an attack on a father, climb to his knees, 
twine their arms about his neck, and all at once rap- 
idly and loudly tell him what they want, until, con- 
fused and deafened, he is obliged to say, "Don't all 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 135 

talk at once, then I can hear what you say." One of 
our little boys, when told that Solomon had six hun- 
dred wives, said that he would not know half of them 
if he met them on the street. Our love and care can 
extend to only a few and have any meaning. If we 
attempt too much it breaks utterly down. 

It is one of the wonders of the divine mind that it 
can distinguish all the millions of earth, of all races 
and conditions, and not lose sight of the wants of the 
humblest. God never says to the myriads of his chil- 
dren, ''Don't all talk at once," but rather he says to 
them, 'Tray without ceasing;" and in response to the 
invitation a confused volume of prayer is ever going 
up to heaven, which would be only a meaningless jar- 
gon in human ears. But to the mind of God each 
prayer is distinct, and full of significance, and brings 
an unfailing response. 

Opportunities Negflccted 

I heard a man near fifty years of age say that he 
had lived all his life within twenty miles of Niagara 
Falls and had never seen them. His only reason was, 
"O, I live so near I can go any time, and don't need 
to make a special trip." Thus he had lived a lifetime 
within a few miles of this great natural curiosity with- 
out seeing it, while thousands are crossing oceans and 
continents to look on this mighty waterfall. Likewise 
many persons live within less than twenty miles of the 
kingdom of God and have never entered it. And 
their only excuse is that they are so near they can 



136 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

go any time. Every opportunity is thrown aside 
until the habit of neglect becomes a part of the 
character. 

There is a strange legend respecting the far-famed 
philosopher's stone which was supposed to have the 
power to change to gold whatever it touched. This 
stone was much sought after, as we may well sup- 
pose, and the story runs that a certain man received 
superhuman intelligence that this stone lay somewhere 
along the seashore within certain limits. Accordingly, 
he began his journey along the shore, picking up 
every pebble that seemed to answer the descrip- 
tion. He soon found the real stone, he thought, and 
his heart rose up in his throat, for he possessed the 
long-sought treasure. He held it up and looked at it, 
and soon became satisfied that he had made a mistake. 
With a feeling of petulance he gave the pebble a sling 
out into the water. And so he went on picking up 
pebbles along the shore, and when he saw they were 
not what he was searching for he threw them out into 
the water, until the habit grew so strong upon him 
that every stone he took up was impulsively thrown 
out into the ocean. At last, so the story goes, he act- 
ually found the true philosopher's stone — ^had it in his 
hand and looked at it — ^but from mere force of habit 
he gave it a sling with the rest, and it was buried in 
the depths of the sea, never more to be found. 

So men cast aside one opportunity after another 
until the habit becomes confirmed, and the pearl of 
great price is thrown away with the rest. 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 137 

Oppressing the Poor 

I know a minister who raised some money for the 
poor of his church and left an order of several dol- 
lars with a groceryman, telling him to send the very 
best articles to their homes. The groceryman filled 
the order with refuse articles that other customers had 
sent back. This business man failed in his business 
afterward; but it is a fact that not all men who do 
such things fail in business, wherever else they may 
fail. 

There is a systematic oppression of the poor in busi- 
ness matters. Business men generally charge more 
for an article if the customer takes only a little than if 
he takes a large quantity. The poor man who buys 
his coal by the pailful pays nearly twice as much for 
it as the man who buys it by the ton, or the hundred 
tons. The man who buys his potatoes and apples by 
the half peck or peck pays nearly twice as much as the 
man who buys them by the barrel. The man who is 
least able to pay the highest price is the very man who 
is compelled to do so by our business methods; and 
the man who is abundantly able to pay the highest 
price is not asked to do so. 

"And the Lord saw it, and it displeased him." One 
of the things that God especially dislikes is the very 
thing that is universally done in business. ''He that 
oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that 
giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.'' 



138 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

Partiality 

I heard a faithful Christian juryman say that he sat 
in the box with eleven fellow- jurymen in the county 
court and listened to a certain case on the calendar. A 
rather mean-looking and meanly-acting man was the 
plaintiff in a civil suit. He was plainly in the right, 
and proved his case most clearly; yet, when the jury 
retired, this juryman found the other eleven unan- 
imously agreed to bring in a verdict against the plain- 
tiff in spite of both law and evidence. Greatly sur- 
prised, he began to make inquiries, and found that the 
plaintiff was a neighbor of these eleven jurymen; that 
he was held to be a mean creature ; that he had cheated 
them and all the rest of his neighbors out of various 
sums as he had opportunity, and they were determined 
to pay him off when they had an opportunity. He 
was in their power, and, right or wrong, they were 
going to punish him. 

This Christian man appealed to their sense of jus- 
tice, and won them all over to his way of thinking 
until they rose above their prejudices and unan- 
imously brought in a verdict in favor of their enemy, 
because, in that particular case at least, he was clearly 
in the right. 

Yet how few men — even Christian men — do rise 
entirely above prejudice, and judge righteously be- 
tween man and man. A thing looks far worse in an 
enemy than in a friend, and the same evidence will 
serve to convict the one but not the other. The rea- 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 139 

sons which lead jurymen to render their verdicts 
would sometimes disgrace them if made public, and 
justify the biting words of Pope : 

"The hungry judges soon the sentence sign. 
And wretches hang that jurymen may dine." 

But Christian men — in fact, all honest men — 
should rise above all such considerations, and respect 
neither high nor low, rich nor poor, and spare no 
pains to render a just verdict when civil duties are put 
upon them. 

One of the most notorious exhibitions of invidious 
and cruel discrimination is in the case of fallen wom- 
en. It is almost impossible to induce Christian people 
to do anything for them; in fact, it is almost impos- 
sible to keep Christian people from coldly turning 
their backs upon them. In an extensive revival in a 
church of which I was pastor one of the first to take 
up the Christian life was a woman of ill repute, the 
fallen daughter of a Methodist local preacher. She 
was thoroughly saved, as I judged, and exhibited the 
fact by closing out her place of business and returning 
to her father's home. 

During the meetings she used to sit always in the 
same seat at the very front in the center of the church. 
One Sunday morning, after the church had been well 
filled, a man came in with his wife and son, all three 
being among the converts. They walked up the aisle 
in the presence of the congregation straight toward 
the seat where this woman was sitting, but when they 



140 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

halted at the end of the seat and saw who was there 
they deliberately turned away and found a seat else- 
where. Sitting in the pulpit, I observed the transac- 
tion, and, sick at heart, I thought there was little 
encouragement for a pastor to welcome to the cross 
and to the church the worst of sinners when the mem- 
bers of the church will treat them after that fashion. 

Pastoral Work 

Pastoral work has its amusing side, as well as its 
serious side. In some cases the minister must first 
prove that he is not a tramp, and the most difficult 
part of the whole transaction is to gain admittance to 
the houses. He often knocks and rings, again and 
again, but there is no response. The people are not 
at home, or they are in the back part of the house and 
cannot hear, or the only one at home is hard of hear- 
ing, or they are not presentable, or they have moved 
away, or they have been fooled so many times that 
they will frankly confess they do not respond to the 
door bell. Occasionally he discovers that they really 
are at home by some slight noise within, or a gentle 
movement of the window curtain, but for some reason 
they do not wish to open the door. The minister, 
standing on the doorstep in the hot sun of summer, or 
biting wind of winter, has discovered all this, and it 
does not tend to elevate pastoral work in his estima- 
tion; but he at least learns the meaning of his Mas- 
ter's words, ''Behold, I stand at the door and knock." 

Sometimes the inmates, in response to his ring, call 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 141 

through the door, "Who is there?" and he is obliged 
to explain himself, not only to those within, but to all 
passers-by as well. Sometimes when he rings the bell 
a head is thrust out of an upper window, and he must 
reveal his identity before he is admitted. And during 
the whole transaction sometimes the house dog inside 
the door is demanding to know who it is ; or the house 
dog outside the door is snapping at his heels, and all 
the neighboring dogs from neighboring doorsteps are 
challenging his entrance. 

And then, after spending as much time as he had 
to spare in getting into the house, he is often obliged 
to sit fifteen minutes in the parlor waiting for the lady 
to make an elaborate toilet. If there is ever a time 
when a pastor does not appreciate fine clothes it is 
under such circumstances. It is not wonderful that 
some ministers of peculiar temperament and preca- 
rious health decline to do any pastoral work. Let no 
one suppose that this is a fancy sketch; it is drawn 
from life. 

Nevertheless it is a most profitable kind of work, 
both for the pastor and his people. Every true pastor 
has led many to Christ in this way, and has learned 
how to preach to the common people as he could learn 
in no other way. To get under everybody's burden 
will sometimes almost crush him to the earth; but it 
is the kind of work his Master did while on earth, and 
what was good enough for him is good enough for 
his ministers to-day. "The disciple is not above his 
Master." 



142 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

Peace Whhin 

Though the storms may lash the surface of the 
ocean to fury there are depths beneath the surface 
where the storms are never felt and the waters lie in 
the profoundest calm. The little nautilus ventures 
up to the surface of the ocean in pleasant weather, 
pushes up its tiny membranous sail, and the gentle 
breezes bear it over the deep blue waters. I have seen 
it floating on the long undulating waves, reflecting the 
colors of the rainbow from its little sail, too frail, too 
puny a thing, it would seem, to voyage over the track- 
less ocean. 

But when a storm arises, and the winds begin to 
howl over the watery waste, it folds up its little sail, 
we are told, and sinks down to the calm depths of the 
ocean, where the power of the storm is never felt and 
all is quiet. 

And so the Christian must live in a world of strife 
and storm ; must meet the hostility of men on the sur- 
face of human life; but there are calm depths to which 
he may sink betimes where the power of earth's storms 
are never felt and the very peace of God rests on the 
soul. The Christian lives two lives — the one a sur- 
face life, such as other men live; but he lives another 
life, his real life, below the surface, shut in with God, 
where *'the peace of God that passeth all understand- 
ing" quiets his troubled spirit. 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 143 

**Fccisli2Lt People** 

The hedgehog is covered with sharp quills pointing 
outward in every direction, and woe be to the living 
thing that runs against those quills. The quills are 
for its enemies. Some men are hedgehogs with their 
quills turned inward. Busy society, bustling men and 
women, worldly perplexities, and strange providences 
brush past them and over them, and they are continu- 
ally pricked and wounded by their own weapons — 
stung and annoyed by their own peculiarities. They 
go through life in a condition of mind which causes 
them to be jostled, fretted, and made angry by 
all the experiences they meet. Their quills are for 
themselves. 

I knew many years ago a young foreigner who 
came to this country with certain national and indi- 
vidual peculiarities not at all in harmony with the 
manners and customs of the American people. Our 
ways, habits, and manners of thought and action 
chafed and nettled him, and ran counter to all his 
ideas of propriety. Being quite intimate with him, I 
suggested in a friendly way that if he could recover 
himself from some of his peculiarities, and get into 
harmony with our ways and customs, he would get on 
much more smoothly, and have a pleasanter time 
among us. 

No, no, he said ; if people wanted to get on smoothly 
with him they must conform themselves to his ways 
and customs. 



144 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

I mildly asked whether it would be more reasonable 
for him to change a few of his peculiarities in order 
to be in harmony with the people among whom he 
chose to live, or to require this entire nation of many 
millions of people to change their manners and cus- 
toms for his convenience and pleasure. 

It made no difference, he said; he proposed to be 
just what he was; the American people were all 
wrong and must come to his terms. He completely 
changed his mind in after years, and in some respects 
outdid the Americans themselves. 

Personal "Worfc 

I shall not soon forget a little experience. Walk- 
ing along the dusty highway of a foreign country, I 
came up with a wagoner who was cursing and bela- 
boring his tired horse. The thought came into my 
mind, "This is a good time to reprove his profanity 
and point him to Christ." We were all alone, and 
there was no danger of interruption. We were going 
in the same direction and I could walk by his side. I 
had long before made the resolve to speak a word for 
Christ whenever opportunity offered, and had many 
times acted upon that resolve. But I was tired and in 
no mood to speak to anybody about anything. I was 
a stranger and a foreigner, and did not understand the 
ways of the people, and for these reasons excused my- 
self and went on. A feeling of condemnation settled 
upon my mind which was relieved only by repentance 
and another resolve to do my duty. 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 145 

Whenever we are brought face to face with a duty 
and an opportunity we must not fail. Unsaved men 
expect Christians to speak to them on the subject of 
religion, and are disappointed if they do not. I well 
remember hearing an unconverted man complain bit- 
terly that he had lived by the side of a Christian for 
ten years, but not one word had ever been spoken to 
him about his soul's salvation. No worse reproach 
can fall upon a Christian man. 

Pleasures that Ate Base 

The pleasure god may be high or low, refined 
or vulgar. It may be an idol decked with jewels, or 
an ugly image cut from a log of wood. The pleasures 
which attract may be entirely respectable; but multi- 
tudes devote themselves to the pursuit of those which 
are low and base. Two men were putting some coal 
into a church one summer day, and one remarked to 
the other, "If I could be sure of always having all 
the tobacco and whisky I want all the rest of my life 
I should be supremely happy." What an amazing 
spectacle — an immortal soul, created in the image of 
God, and hastening on to an eternal destiny, living for 
the pleasures of tobacco and whisky ! 

But these fires will burn out by and by, and leave 
nothing but a charred and degraded material body. I 
saw once an old burned-out iron furnace left to rot 
down, and thought it a picture of many men with 
passions burned out, and energies exhausted in the 
practice of the lowest vices. 



146 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

Power of God 

A man can attend to only one thing at a time and 
do it well ; and not more than two or three things and 
do them very imperfectly. The business in the Pen- 
sion Office at Washington is all the time two or three 
years behindhand. In the Court of Equity in New 
York State some years ago it was reported that the 
business was several years behindhand. A man pre- 
sents his case to such a court and must wait years for 
a hearing. He might sicken and die and be beyond 
the reach of help before it would come. 

After some of the great battles in the civil war the 
wounded were huddled together under tents or trees 
while the surgeons toiled night and day to dress their 
gaping wounds and save them from death. They 
aimed to attend to the most needy first; but many a 
brave fellow had to wait for hours, and even days, 
while the blood was unstanched and the fever eating 
up his life, and at last, with his mother's name upon 
his lips, and perhaps the name of his Saviour, to die 
without aid, because his physician could attend to only 
one at a time. 

God is not limited, as man is, in his power to render 
aid to those who are covered with the "wounds and 
bruises and putrefying sores" of sin. Even an angel, 
though his wing were the lightning, would be help- 
less in the presence of such an appalling task, but we 
have a God who is everywhere present to help and 
save all the millions of his creatures, and is so little 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 147 

hurried by the stupendous task that he can say, 
"Before they call I will answer; while they are yet 
speaking I will hear." 

"^ Practice Makes Perfect^ 

Exceptionally fine results can be attained only as 
the outcome of long training. As I was riding on the 
New York Central Railroad one day I saw the brake- 
man light all the five lamps in the car with one match. 
He had to open the glass case overhead, light four 
jets, shut the case, go to the next lamp and do the 
same, shading the match with his hand as he went, 
and so to the entire five^ — and all with one match. But 
he made no false motions; every movement was just 
right, A man unaccustomed to the business would 
have used at least five matches. My immediate reflec- 
tion was, "He has done that before ; there is the result 
of training." 

The stone that killed Goliath was not the first one 
that David had hurled. Constant and persistent prac- 
tice is the price of skill and rapidity in work; and 
there is almost no limit to the marvelous results that 
may be attained. 

When Bishop Newman first applied to a Quarterly 
Conference for license to preach it is said that his 
oratory was so crude that his application was rejected ; 
but by patient, laborious, painstaking, persistent prac- 
tice he became one of the greatest and most attractive 
orators of his generation. And in this experience he 
was only repeating the toils and protracted discipline 



148 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

to which Demosthenes subjected himself that he might 
be the greatest orator of the human race. 

It is related that when Edward A. Freeman, the 
great English historian, was a student in the univer- 
sity he wrote an essay on the Norman Conquest in a 
prize contest. It was a subject that he had studied a 
great deal, but another took the prize. 

Forty years after he considered it very fortunate 
that he failed. He said : "Had I got it I might have 
been tempted to think that I knew all about the mat- 
ter. As it was, I went on and learned something 
about it." 

A few failures at the beginning may teach us the 
lesson that life's greatest prizes are won as a result of 
patient toil and long practice. Failures thus have 
their uses and may be the making of men. They work 
both ways, however : depressing and discouraging the 
weak, but inspiring and spurring the strong tO' those 
persistent efforts which are the price of great achieve- 
ments. And small men have accomplished marvelous 
things by knowing this secret of success. A man can 
drill a hole into the granite rock with a basswood drill 
if he only drills long enough in one place. 

Prayef for Others 

A little girl four years of age had been instructed 
by her mother to pray for different persons in the fam- 
ily by name. One day she omitted the name of the 
servant in the kitchen, and when inquired of made 
answer that she didn't love her, and didn't want God 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 149 

to bless her. Her mother told her such a spirit was 
not right, and persuaded her to include the girl in her 
prayer. At last she said, "Well, I have asked God to 
bless her, but I didn't want him to." It may be feared 
that prayer for others is too often of this sort. The 
prayer pulls one way and the wish another. I have 
seen foolish men hitch two teams of horses to opposite 
ends of a strong chain to see which team was the 
stronger. Nothing could come of such a test. At 
most one team could do no more than drag the other 
a few feet. It is often the case that men's prayers and 
their lives pull in opposite directions; and in such a 
case the lives will pull the prayers. 

Praying for persons by name is hazardous business. 
A good sister once prayed very earnestly for a young 
man at family worship, and he said to her afterward, 
in a laughing way, that he thought it taking an undue 
advantage of a man to dress him down where he 
couldn't say a word for himself. 

A member of my official board in a certain church 
had had some difficulty with a man, and he brought 
the matter up in the board, asking the advice of the 
brethren, and promising to do whatever they decided 
that he ought to do. They talked the matter over, and 
decided that he should go and pray with the man. 

Accordingly, he invited me, as his pastor, to accom- 
pany him, and we drove out to the man's house. When 
we were seated in the parlor the brother who was to 
do penance told his antagonist in a sentence or two 
that the official board had sent him out to pray with 



ISO Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

him, and dropping on his knees he told the Lord every 
mean thinj this man had ever done, in the plainest 
terms, and asked that he might be led to see the error 
of his ways, and brought to a better life. I thought 
it was, indeed, taking an undue advantage of a man 
when he could not defend himself. It impressed me 
as one of the wickedest things I had ever seen done. 
Instead of adjusting their quarrel, such a proceeding 
would tend to make it permanent. Such prayer for 
others cannot bring blessing to them or ourselves, or 
be pleasing to God. I have seen so much blundering, 
or worse, in such prayers that I fall into an agony of 
apprehension whenever I hear anybody praying for 
people by name. 

Prayer xn the Family 

A man may conceal his defects and failures from 
the world to a great extent, but his family will surely 
find them out. No shams can deceive very long in the 
intimacy of the family circle. The honest opinion of 
a man's family respecting his religious character is 
the very highest testimony. This honest opinion is 
very seldom expressed, however. A kind of loyalty 
to the head of the family restrains expressions of crit- 
icism. The opinion exists, nevertheless, and is making 
Its influence felt on the family. A man's religion is 
often greatly at a discount among his own children. 
And family worship is one of the sharpest tests of a 
religious life. If parents shrink from this duty, or 
leave it undone through hurry, or indifference, the 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 151 

children note the fact, and draw their own conclu- 
sions. And how common is the neglect of family 
worship. 

I have passed the night many, many times in Chris- 
tian families, as have doubtless all pastors, where no 
family worship was held — when I was not asked to 
conduct prayer. And I sat at the table of one of my 
members at dinner when he began serving the food 
without saying grace himself, or asking me to do so. 
To the credit of the clergy I ought to say that, while 
I have spent very many nights in the families of min- 
isters, only in two or three cases did they fail to have 
family prayers. 

This subject has seemed to me of greater impor- 
tance, perhaps, from the fact that my father always 
had family worship immediately after breakfast. And 
he took plenty of time to make it a leisurely exercise, 
quite often reading a chapter and explaining it at con- 
siderable length. In the hurrying season of summer 
on the farm he used to call in several laborers, and 
occupy from a half to a full hour in reading and ex- 
plaining the Bible, and in prayer. These men might 
have been at work in the hayfield; but I am sure he 
lost nothing, while both he and they were better for 
the time spent in religious exercises. 

Prayer in Public 

While prayer should undoubtedly be addressed to 
God alone, it is yet true that public prayer may be 
properly modified to suit the audience for whom or 



152 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

with whom the prayer is offered. But many grave 
errors may be ruled out at once. It is out of taste to 
preach sermons, or make orations, or lectures, or ex- 
hortations, on our knees with our eyes shut. At the 
dedication of a church within the bounds of Troy 
Conference the man who made the dedicatory prayer 
occupied a half hour in imparting a vast deal of infor- 
mation to somebody. At the ordination of a minister 
of a certain denomination, when half a dozen men or 
more were standing in a very cramped position, with 
their hands on the head of the candidate, the minister 
who made the prayer kept them standing three quar- 
ters of an hour, while he gave somebody a history of 
ordinations from apostolic times down to date. 

A man called at his neighbor's house one morning, 
and found that he was having family worship, so he 
remained quietly outside, listening to the prayer. Go- 
ing in afterward he complimented his neighbor on the 
excellent prayer he had made. The man replied, "O, 
I would have prayed far better than that if I had 
known you were listening.*' 

While the practice of hunting up beautiful phrases 
for public prayer cannot be commended, yet there is 
a kind of preparation which ought not to be omitted. 
Public prayer should follow private meditation and 
communion with God. We need to get into the mood 
of prayer before opening our lips in public. We have 
often heard persons pray in public when five minutes 
or more were consumed in getting started. Some 
pumps need priming before they will work properly. 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 153 

The second pailful can be secured in much less time 
than the first. It is well to pump the first pailful in 
private meditation, and let the public have the second. 

Prayet in Secret 

Prayers in public may reasonably be short, but in 
secret much time may well be taken before God. It 
ought not to be a hurried exercise when ample time 
can possibly be taken. A man calls at his neighbor's 
door, and says, "I can't stop; I'm in a great hurry; 
I only called to say that my wife is sick, and would 
like you to come over if you can." How like this are 
many of our secret prayers. If we were as polite to 
God as to our neighbor, and as frank, we would say, 
"O Lord, I'm in a great hurry ; I can't stop ; I've only 
time to say. Take care of me to-day, and keep me 
from evil, and help me to do right" — and away we 
go to bed, or to breakfast, or to business. 

Our houses ought to be so arranged as to make 
private prayer a convenience. It cannot be a hurried, 
interrupted exercise. Time is needed to compose the 
mind and get it into a praying frame. The harp is 
out of tune, and must be put in order before it will 
discourse music that will be grateful to the ear of 
heaven. 

One of the hallowed memories of my childhood is 
that of having often, by mere accident, found my 
sainted mother, who died when I was a child, on her 
knees in the secret place before God; and it was her 
practice at such times to put her arm around me and 



154 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

draw me down by her side. She always had a bonnet 
on her head — heeding the direction of the apostle that 
a woman should not pray uncovered. This is my 
most vivid and impressive recollection of a sainted 
mother. 

In these secret devotions we may tell to God what 
we would shrink from revealing to our nearest earthly 
friends. A young man, who had been a Christian 
only a few months, said in prayer meeting: "1 have 
learned to carry everything to God. I have asked him 
for some strange things since I came to Christ, and 
he has answered me every time." 

I once heard a Presbyterian minister, in a sermon 
of wonderful power on the meaning of afflictions, 
advise his people, when they could not be reconciled 
to their sorrows, to tell God frankly just how they 
felt about it. And for himself he said he had told 
God many things which might have caused the As- 
sembly to reject him, and the Session to ask him to 
resign, if they had been known. 

Pfcparatfon for Great Thingfs 

We must get ready for large results. They are 
most likely to come to those who are ready for them. 
The great inventors were generally looking for the 
things they found. Those who discover new planets 
and comets are they who sit long nights at the little 
end of the telescope. 

We have not forgotten the long years that were 
employed in getting ready for the great explosion that 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated ISS 

deepened the channel of the East River at New York. 
General Newton stored explosives in caverns at the 
bottom of the river, year after year, until the people 
almost forgot that he was at work there. But when 
all was ready his little girl with her tiny finger could 
press the button and blow the river bottom into frag- 
ments. He was simply storing up divine power for 
great results, and when all was ready the results 
followed. 

We have plenty of small explosions. The Fourth 
of July is made boisterous by them. Cannon are fired 
and rocks are blasted every day. But here was some- 
thing immense. This was the great explosion of the 
century; and it followed long years of preparation. 
May we not prepare ourselves to do God's greatest 
work, and see what will come of it? God chooses 
competent men for his great work; and the most 
available competency is a thorough preparation. The 
man who is ready generally gets the job. 

Pfidc 

Riding one day with two bright boys through a sec- 
tion of country where an extensive crop of rye was 
ripening, one of the boys remarked that the rye was 
very poor that year and not well filled. The other 
boy asked how he knew it was not well filled. "O," 
he said, "you can tell that by the heads standing up 
so straight." I looked, and, sure enough, fully three 
fourths of the heads pointed proudly up to the sky 
and waved majestically in the wind. They presented 



156 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

a much finer appearance for standing up so straight — 
but they were empty. 

In looking over a harvest field of men and women 
perhaps we can detect the empty heads in the same 
way. A man or woman who sweeps grandly along 
with an expression of supercilious contempt, disdain- 
ing to glance at the toiling throng, is not a person of 
very great consequence. A person too proud to notice 
or speak to the humblest of God's children is greatly 
lacking in brains and sense. The greatest men of 
earth have generally had the least pride. I knew a 
young man who wanted to change places with his class 
leader before he had been converted a year. 

Mount Skiddaw, in the north of England, is sur- 
rounded by most charming scenery. There are beau- 
tiful lakes, rolling hills, quiet villages, and neat cot- 
tages as far as the eye can reach. As I ascended the 
base of the mountain all these spread themselves out 
before me and the rising sun shed a glory over them. 
It was a scene never to be forgotten. Going up still 
higher, I soon came among the dark clouds that 
were sweeping across the mountain top. Vegetation 
ceased, and there was only a verdureless waste of 
broken rocks; darkness closed around and the golden 
sunlight and golden valley were shut out from view; 
cold, damp, driving mists almost blinded the eyes, 
and it was only possible to grope along amid rubbish 
and desolation. I put a stone on the cairn, as others 
had done, and had merely the satisfaction of having 
reached the summit. 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 157 

This was the mountain top, and I thought it a pic- 
ture of the cold, desolate heights to which ambitious 
pride has lifted men to freeze and perish in their iso- 
lation. All this time the valley was resting beneath 
in the sunlight with its grains and fruits and flowers, 
a picture of the valley of humility, where the Chris- 
tian finds sunlight and warmth and fruitfulness. 

Probabilities 

The following was given as a true story by the 
journals of the time. At Buffalo, New York, one 
beautiful day in the fall of 1871 the weather observer 
got orders from Washington to run up the danger 
signal. The warning caused a smile on the faces of 
many, for it was a most charming day, with no wind 
and not a cloud in the sky, except a very small one 
over on the Canada shore. The lake captains gener- 
ally thought that ''Old Probs'* had missed it this time; 
but the greater part of them were prudent men, and 
did not venture out on the lake that night. A few, 
however, felt sure there could be no storm after such 
a charming day, and they put out from the harbor. 
During the night one of the most terrible storms on 
record swept over the Great Lakes, and every vessel 
that went out was wrecked, and all their crews 
drowned. 

The Bible has hoisted a danger signal. It has given 
us not only the "probabilities," but the certainties, of 
a course of sin. But the sky is so clear, the sun shines 
so brightly, sin is so pleasant, its paths are so flowery, 



158 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

that men disregard the warnings, and only find out 
when it is too late that the Bible has told them the 
solemn truth. 

Procrastination 

I was sent for to see a man who was fatally sick. 
He and his wife were not members of the church, but 
an adopted daughter was. They had a seat in church 
and attended quite regularly. He was in church the 
Sunday before he died. When I saw him he was in 
a stupor; and by the physician's orders they were try- 
ing to keep him awake. They had succeeded in par- 
tially arousing him, and his wife said, *'The minister 
has come to see you." This seemed to arouse him 
fully, and he said : "So you think I am going to die. 
After the life I have lived I don't think it is right to 
send for a minister at the last hour." These were his 
last words. He extended his hand, which I took, and 
he soon relapsed into unconsciousness. He was con- 
sidered by all who knew him as an estimable man, but 
made no profession of religion, considering that it 
was not necessary. It is not easy to decide whether 
his last remark indicated that he had lived a correct 
life and did not need the services of a minister in his 
dying hour, or was an admission that his life had not 
been right but that it was too late to mend matters. In 
either case it was too late to make any change. 

A woman forty years of age, to whom I preached 
for several years, when she came to church, which was 
not often, deliberately said that "she didn't want to be 
pious any longer than she was obliged to; she wanted 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 159 

to be comfortably wicked as long as she could, and 
then fix it up at last." She was taken with a fatal ill- 
ness when about fifty years old, and how far she 
"fixed it up" she gave her friends no means of 

knowing. 

Profession of Religfion 

A profession of religion lifts a man up before the 
public, and draws attention to him. He may have 
been comparatively unobserved before, but now people 
begin to look at him, watch him, criticise him, and see 
if he measures up in his life to the profession he 
makes. A profession of religion quadruples a man's 
influence for either good or evil. If a man puts out 
a sign as a lawyer, or a physician, people expect more 
of him than of ordinary men. He must make good his 
claim to know something of law or medicine. And 
if a man puts up a sign as a Christian, people expect 
him to be a Christian. He must be better than he was 
before, and better than other men who have not put 
up such a sign. 

Punishment Hereafter 

The papers are filled with accounts that stir the soul 
to cry aloud for justice. One newspaper heading was 
"A Monster Unhanged;" and this was the story: A 
brutal father sent out his five-year-old boy to steal 
wood, and, because he could not find any, dragged 
him from his bed and whipped him unmercifully. The 
next day he tied his hands behind his back; the fol- 
lowing he tied him hand and foot and left him lying 



160 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

under a table; the third day he tumbled him into a gar- 
ret to lie all night in the cold on the floor. The next 
day he gave the child another whipping, until his body 
was a mass of bruises, the skin in places torn from the 
flesh, and he unable to stand erect. On his trial, 
when asked if he were not sorry he had treated the boy 
so, the cruel monster replied, "No; he has the spirit 
of his mother in him, and I'll take it out." Does any- 
one think that six months in a comfortable county jail 
is adequate punishment for such a wretch as this? 

In a city where I preached the Gospel for several 
years a man whose wife was dying of consumption 
deliberately attempted to starve her to death, and as 
the event dragged on too slowly to please him he 
kicked, thrashed, and abused her, declaring he should 
feed her no longer — she had cost him enough already. 
Human law could merely step in and put him under 
bonds to abuse her no more and give her a comfort- 
able support. 

In one of our large cities a young man of large 
wealth and high social position ruined a poor girl, and 
when she came back with her child to his door in a 
starving condition he spurned her away, and returned 
to banquet with his friends, while she wandered out 
of the city into the woods with her little one to perish 
with cold and hunger. They found them there, 
mother and child, locked in each other's arms, and 
cold in death ; and then they thought of him in his fine 
mansion, drinking wine with the fashionable people 
of the city. There were some who considered how 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 161 

little our laws can do to right such a wrong as this, 
and they raised their hands to heaven and asked, *ls 
there a God anywhere who sees all this, and will do 
justice by and by — sometime, if not now?'* If there is 
no punishment hereafter the moral government of the 

world is a farce. 

Rcadingf 

Take two men of business. The one is a student. 
He has been occupied with business cares all the day. 
When night comes he sits down in his comfortable 
home, takes a book from his library, and spends the 
evening in the pursuit of knowledge. Perhaps the his- 
torian guides his footsteps down through the ages of 
the past, and he cons the lessons of God's guiding 
providence in the history of nations ; or he may range 
the fields of poetry and gather the rarest flowers of 
human thought to beautify his own life ; or it may be 
that the devout astronomer carries him among the 
stars reverently to read the evidences of God's cre- 
ative power; better still, he may give the evening to 
that grandest of books, the Bible, where he may ac- 
quaint himself with God's revealed will; his family 
may join him in these studies, and the household re- 
tires to rest refreshed in spirit by the hours spent 
in study. 

The other man is not a student. He goes with his 
family to the theater. Until late in the evening they 
are entertained and excited by unreal exhibitions of 
human passion, possibly of human goodness, but far 
more likely of human folly and crime; the mind 



162 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

receiving a dangerous stimulant, rather than natural 
food. Can anyone question which man has received 
the higher rational enjoyment and profit? 

If no others but the evening hours can be given to 
reading, though the days must be devoted to the stern 
task of breadwinning, yet a vast amount of solid sat- 
isfaction and a vast store of knowledge will be the 
result. 

Ready for Heaven 

An aged saint of God was told that he had an affec- 
tion of the heart that might carry him away from 
earth at any moment, and he replied, *Thank the 
Lord, my trunk is packed.'' It is told of the noble 
old Roman, Cato, that when he was far advanced in 
years, almost on the edge of the grave, he began the 
study of the Greek language. Some one asked him 
why at such an advanced age he should undertake 
to learn so complicated and difficult a language. His 
reply was: "I understand that the Greek language is 
very rich and copious, and well adapted to the uses 
of conversation; and furthermore I understand that 
it is the language in which the gods converse, and 
when I go into the other world I wish to be able to 
converse with the gods in their own language." 

It is well to reflect that heaven has its language, and 
if we make ourselves understood there we must learn 
that language. Whether the Greek, or the Hebrew, 
or the English language be used there is a matter of 
little consequence; but we are sure it is the language 
of love and worship, the language of prayer and 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 163 

praise, a language full of Christ and his atoning 

work, and we must learn that language before we 

get there. 

Red Like Crimson 

The heavenly Alchemist is not limited in his skill, 
but though our spirits be stained to the utmost he 
can bleach them to heaven's own whiteness. No stain 
is deeper and more permanent than crimson, no white- 
ness is purer and more perfect than that of the crystal- 
line snow. The blackest sinner may become the 
whitest saint. The history of the Church has shown 
more than once that the result does not at all depend 
on the degree of pollution. 

The housewife lays out a washing. Some of the 
garments are very much soiled, others not so badly, 
and still others seem hardly soiled at all ; but her keen 
eye detects that all need washing; and if the work be 
thoroughly done you cannot tell, as you look at the 
shining garments, which were most soiled in the 
beginning. 

And when God has cleansed a number of human 
souls they are all alike pure and white, and it will 
never be asked, ''Which was originally the worst sin- 
ner?" Paul claimed preeminence as a sinner, but he 
also attained preeminence as a saint. 

Reformation 

Reformation is but an external thing, while the 
real difficulty with man is internal. To try to reform 
the life while the heart is unchanged is like turning 



164 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

the hands of your watch every day to make it conform 
to the true time, while the works within are deranged. 
It is not impossible to lop off one sin after another, 
but a sad experience has taught us that it avails very 
little. 

If one stalk of a geranium plant has grown too 
long for the others you can cut it off, and reduce the 
plant to a proper shape, and flatter yourself that it 
will remain so. But in a little time two or three new 
stalks will start out around the blackened stump, and 
they will grow faster and longer than before. 

Reform may be illustrated by a plant that has been 
taken out of the ground. It very soon wilts, and the 
leaves and branches hang helplessly downward. But 
you may prop up the branches of this drooping plant 
— ^put a stick under each one and make them stand 
up straight. You may even sprinkle water upon it, 
and give it a temporary freshness, but it will die in 
spite of all your efforts. This is salvation by human 
effort 

You can take the same plant and set it back into 
the ground again, let its roots take hold of the strength 
of the soil and the sap course up through its fibers, 
and nature will renew the life of the drooping plant. 
This is God's method of salvation. The one is help 
from without, the other from within. 

When our little girl was nearly four years old she 
had been very naughty, and had given her mother a 
great deal of trouble one day. When she was going 
to bed at night her mother prayed with her, and asked 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 165 

God to give her a new heart — a good heart — so that 
she could do right and be a good girl. When the 
prayer was ended she faced her mother with a deter- 
mined attitude, and said, ^Tm going to be good all 
day to-morrow, and with a naughty heart too ; I don't 
want a new heart; Fm going to be good with a 
naughty heart;" and pointing with her finger at her 
mother she added, "Now you see if I don't." It is 
needless to say that she got into as much mischief as 
usual the next day. 

Alas! this is not confined to childhood. Men are 
everywhere saying, "I don't want a new heart; I'm 
going to be good with the heart I have," and, like 
the child, they are failing. They attempt to reform 
the life while the heart is unchanged. They try to 
regenerate society while the men who make up so- 
ciety are unchanged. By theories of government, by 
education, a science of morals, temperance reform 
and anti-swearing societies they try to save men from 
their sins, while the moral nature, the fountain of evil 
within, remains unchanged. They are trying to kill 
a deadly plant by picking a leaf off here and there, 
when it needs to be dug up root and branch. 

Reform "Within the Church 

The Church of God has not only carried on a fierce 
contest with the world, but it has been obliged to con- 
tend with evils at home. It has been rent with civil 
war, and has been obliged to put down rebels within 
its own borders. And there can be no doubt that the 



166 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

Church is all the better for these struggles. Like the 
chrysalis of the caterpillar, the Church has burst the 
trammels of error only to rise to a higher life and put 
on more beautiful garments. Naturalists tell us that 
the transition from chrysalis to butterfly is one of 
great labor and pain. The caterpillar, a thing that 
crawls on the ground, can only become winged, and 
clothed with power to rise up into the air of heaven, 
by passing through the most painful struggles for a 
period of time. 

Transition states in the Church have likewise been 
accompanied with great labor and commotion. Re- 
forms are not generally effected in the midst of exter- 
nal quiet. There are agitation and pain. But pain is 
not the worst thing. It merely indicates that we are 
not wholly given over to disease. When the body is 
in pain we know that something is wrong, and that 
nature is struggling to right that wrong. The same 
is true in spiritual things. The absence of pain may 
be a most dangerous sympton. It may indicate that 
the Church has given up the contest with evil, and 
made peace with the enemies of truth and righteous- 
ness. When the Church consents to be a corrupt in- 
stitution the salt has lost its savor and must be 

cast out. 

Regeneration 

Reformation is not the name for it. The strug- 
glings of the enslaved will against the enemies of the 
soul are but the beatings of a bird against the bars 
of its cage; we cannot escape from our bondage. 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 167 

I knew a drunkard who came to the penitents' altar 
with the conviction that he was strong enough to over- 
come his besetting sin. He commenced the religious 
life under the impression that he was to deliver him- 
self from sin; and in a few weeks he was walking in 
his old ways. 

If a cask is full of water and we want it full of air 
we must turn the faucet and draw off the water and 
the air will come in and fill the cask. And so many 
persons think they must draw off their sins and then 
God will come in and fill their souls. But if a cask 
is full of air and we want to fill it with water it isn't 
necessary to turn the faucet and draw off the air, 
and it cannot be done ; we may pour in the water, and 
the water will drive out the air; water is denser 
than air and will make room for itself. This is the 
divine method of salvation. Just let God come sweep- 
ing into human nature, and he will drive out our sins 
and make room for himself. Sin never leaves our 
souls any faster than God comes in to drive it out 
and take its place. 

This divine regeneration is the very essence of Gos- 
pel salvation. It is a necessity. "Ye must be born 
again." I heard of a man who went into the forest 
to chop wood, and when he got to the tree he wished 
to cut down he looked about and found that he had 
left his ax at home — the very and only thing he 
needed. And we may safely conclude that many a 
man will knock at heaven's gate and find that he has 
left the really essential thing behind him. 



168 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

And if God does the work of salvation we need not 
split hairs over the more or less of sin. It matters 
little how desperate is the condition of the human 
soul. If a man takes a broken-down machine to a 
mechanic for repairs he may say, "1 can make a new 
one, but I can't mend this; it's too far gone." God 
never says this. He has made saints out of the worst 
of sinners. 

Religion Btings Peace 

People seem to expect that a Christian will be a 
man of peace. A young man of petulant disposition 
took up the Christian life, and almost the first remark 
he made to me was, ''My wife will have a pleasanter 
time after this." Another man, who had quarreled 
with his neighbors, and cheated them, was soundly 
converted to Christ, and he spent several days going 
about among them paying his debts and settling his 
quarrels. The result was a Christian that everybody 
believed in. While a very wicked man before, he be- 
came an earnest, useful Christian man, whose praise 
was on every tongue. And I have authentic informa- 
tion respecting another man, who, after his conver- 
sion, traveled to the far West for the purpose of hunt- 
ing up a man with whom he had quarreled, that he 
might be reconciled. Such acts speak louder than any 
verbal testimonies. There can be no doubt that if the 
Gospel of Christ can be allowed to produce its nat- 
ural results in the hearts of men it will bring "peace 
on earth," as the angels announced at the birth of 
Christ. 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 169 

If a man who professes to be a Christian is sour- 
hearted and quarrelsome, the most charitable thing 
that can be said about him is that Gospel grace has 
been allowed to do only a part of the gracious work 
which it was designed and is abundantly able to do. 
He stands in need of a further work as speedily as 

possible. 

Religfion that Speaks iot Itself 

A young man was converted, and his mother said 
to me, *^I knew that a change had taken place from his 
manner, before he said a word about it." That is a 
choice variety of religious experience which tells its 
own story in a better temper, cleaner phraseology, and 
more careful living. The world will have little confi- 
dence in a man's piety when no one but himself finds 
out that he has any. More than once people have 
asked me if such and such a man was a member of 
my church. They had lived beside him for years and 
seen no evidence of piety, but had heard that he was 
a member of a Christian church, and wished to have 
the matter settled. 

The Methodist Episcopal Church believes in a call 
to preach; and the church must hear the call as well 
as the candidate. If a man thinks he has a call to 
preach, and the church sees no evidence of his fitness, 
it will judge that the man was mistaken, and refuse 
him a license. There must be two witnesses, one to 
the candidate and another to the church. 

In theory this same rule applies to laymen who 
apply for admission to the church. As the candidate 



170 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

for admission stands before the altar, the whole church 
is asked to say whether there is any good reason why 
the man should not be received into Christ's church. 
I have never known, however, an objection to be 
raised even when many have been received who gave 
no evidence of spiritual life. Practically this arrange- 
ment amounts to very little, for people would shrink 
from rising in the church to make objections, even if 
they knew of valid objections; and no doubt all pas- 
tors, after receiving a large number into the church, 
have heard things about some of them which would 
have debarred them if made known before their recep- 
tion. A double witness should be insisted on for every 
candidate who applies for admission to the church. 

Religious Life 

A man's religious life may be compared to the 
course of a great river. It has a small beginning, in 
some little spring or marshy tract at the foot of a 
mountain. The stream is very feeble, winding about 
in every direction, as though it hardly knew where to 
go; easily turned from its course by every stone or 
log that lies in its way; its waters often very muddy 
and turbulent, taking a hue and flavor from the earth 
through which it flows; now creeping lazily through 
some low meadow lands, apparently making no prog- 
ress, and again dashing down some decline, and over 
ledges of rocks with rush and roar, and then suddenly 
losing itself in some dark forest of tangled vines and 
bushes, from which it emerges with a darker color, 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 171 

but a stronger and steadier flow ; anon it is reinforced 
by other streams that flow into it, and it begins to 
wear a deeper, wider channel in the earth; it is not 
easily turned from its course now, but sweeps over 
obstacles with ease, plows its way through the hardest 
soil, even cutting through solid rock that it may pur- 
sue its course; its channel becomes straighter, its flow 
stronger and steadier, its volume of water resistless, 
until at length it sweeps grandly out into the mighty 
ocean. 

Thus the great Mississippi takes its rise in a little 
lake in the wooded regions of northern Minnesota, 
twisting and turning a thousand times, until, fed by 
numberless tributaries, it sweeps out into the Gulf 
of Mexico. 

Thus the Congo, which Stanley traced through its 
long course, has its beginnings on the lofty plateau of 
Central Africa, and after compassing nearly the whole 
Dark Continent in its windings, with a most aston- 
ishing volume of water, plunges down the western 
slopes into the broad Atlantic. 

The Amazon has but a feeble beginning on the 
sloping sides of the Andes Mountains, but after a 
winding course of four thousand miles, it straightens 
itself in its broad channel, and sweeps into the ocean 
through a mouth nearly one hundred miles wide. 

And a man's religious life is usually a thing of 
small beginnings and slow growth. At the outset he 
comes trembling and halting to the foot of the cross. 
He hardly knows whether Christ can save or not. 



172 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

And when the light at length breaks upon him it is 
often faint and uncertain. He goes sometimes faster, 
sometimes slower, often turned aside, and making 
many windings; but as he proceeds each year tends 
to wear the channel deeper and broader; the current 
of his life sets more strongly Godward and heaven- 
ward; doubts are dispelled, and certainties accumu- 
late; the channel of his life straightens; there is less 
of halting and wandering; the flow becomes even, 
steady, and majestic; obstacles are overborne, obstruc- 
tions are worn away, and, in the face of all the 
hindrances that tend to check his progress, he sweeps 
grandly on to his eternal destiny. 

Luther had his time of weakness and uncertainty 
at the beginning of his career, but he grew strong and 
firm and steady as he knew more of Christ's power 
to save. Wesley had his period of doubt and vacilla- 
tion, but he left it far behind, and preached a full 
salvation, in full assurance of faith, and preached 
from the depths of his own experience. 

There is no grander sight than an aged Christian 
who has passed the period of doubt and uncertainty 
and is ready, with full assurance, to sweep into eternity 
as a great river sweeps into the sea. 

Repiitation 

One has said that a man's reputation is a shadow, 
which sometimes precedes him, sometimes follows 
him, IS sometimes longer and sometimes shorter than 
he is. The shadow may be longer than the man at 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 173 

morning and evening, and shorter at midday, but 
taking the whole day together the man and his repu- 
tation do each other no great injustice. 

I knew a man who earned the reputation of being 
the meanest man in town. In court his neighbors, 
under oath, gave that as their opinion of him. This 
was his reputation. I asked a man once, about another 
whose services I needed : **Can he be depended upon ? 
Will he certainly do what he undertakes?" *'0 yes," 
he said; "if he promises to be there you need give 
yourself no further trouble; he will attend to it with- 
out fail." This was the man's reputation; and I had 
heard as much before. 

A member of a Christian church used to complain 
in prayer meeting that his neighbors thought him dis- 
honest, and refused to trust him. It came to light 
afterward that he was dishonest. His reputation did 
him no injustice. 

If a man is honest and true he will not need to de- 
fend his reputation; his character will take care of 
his reputation. It does not pay to throw stones at 
every dog that barks at you. You will probably lame 
your shoulder and not hit the dog after all. For three 
whole years I threw stones at dogs that annoyed me 
and destroyed my flower beds, and in all that time I 
hit only one dog, and that was so small an animal 
that I was ashamed of myself for doing it, while 
I missed many huge mastiffs which trotted away 
without harm. 



174 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

Resisting: God 

Men resist God's gracious influences, and the longer 
they resist the greater their power of resistance be- 
comes. And they can resist all the influences which 
God ever employs. God might compel men, to be 
sure; but he does not choose to compel them. 

I have seen a man take hold of the handles of a 
small galvanic battery, and the first passage of the 
electric current made him twist and writhe like 
a wounded snake. He was almost ready to cry, 
"Enough." But he was a man of resolute will and 
steady nerve; and he held on while the current was 
increased little by little, until at length he could with- 
stand the full power of the machine, and smile at those 
of us who cried, "Enough." 

So men resist God, and grow strong by resisting, 
until they can withstand all the influences he ever 
brings to bear on intellect and feelings. They take 
hold of God by these two handles, the intellect and 
sensibility, and down through these channels he pours 
all of heaven's saving influences upon them, and they 
resist them all and go on in the ways of sin. It is a 
dreadful fact for the human mind to contemplate, that 
we are able to resist God and defeat all his benevolent 
purposes concerning us. 

I have known two men who boasted of the number 
of revival meetings they had passed through without 
yielding to God. When the disciples of Christ were 
exhorting and urging them to become Christians they 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 175 

smiled in their faces, and said, ^'We've seen it hotter 
than this." One of the men who said this lived about 
twenty years after, and then died without Christ. 
The other I have not heen able to keep account of. 

Resurrection from the Dead 

There are some things in nature which prepare us 
for this doctrine. The tree shoots out its leaves in 
the springtime; they grow to full size, then turn yel- 
low, wither, and fall off in the autumn. If we had not 
seen it take place we should never dream that the tree 
would leaf out again. 

A bulb placed in the earth shoots out leaves and a 
blossom in the spring. We admire its beauty, but 
soon the flower fades. We comfort ourselves with the 
reflection, "The blossom is gone, to be sure, but the 
leaves yet remain ; the plant is still alive." But before 
midsummer the leaves too have disappeared, and noth- 
ing of the once beautiful flower is visible; there is no 
sign of life for many months. Did we not know its 
history we should conclude that the charming plant 
had run its career, and disappeared from the realm 
of life. 

Who that for the first time saw the sun sink in the 
west, and the darkness of night come on, would ever 
divine that there could be a sunrise and a glorious 
morning ? 

If a being from another sphere, who had never met 
our experiences, nor anything like them, should come 
to earth in midsummer, and see the days little by little 



176 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

grow shorter and the nights longer, the heat grad- 
ually decline and the cold increase, he would inevit- 
ably conclude that the future had nothing in store but 
eternal darkness and frost. 

A celestial being, who for countless ages has ob- 
served the larger operations of God's universe, may 
look for the resurrection day with no more anxiety 
than a child of earth watches for the morning, or the 
coming of spring. 

Riches 

I knew a prominent judge who, when a young man, 
deliberately said that he preferred riches to Christ. I 
knew him when he was nearly eighty years of age. 
He had riches and honors, and enjoyed the respect of 
his fellow-citizens, but he had no Christ. I gathered 
these facts respecting his early choice from a source 
which was considered trustworthy. 

A very rich man used occasionally to attend the 
church of which I was pastor. In a conversation he 
frankly explained to me why he did not come oftener. 
He said it was perfect slavery for him to sit cooped 
up in a seat for an hour, and he became so restless that 
he could hardly endure it. He wanted to move about, 
and it suited him much better to go out into his stables 
and pat his fine horses, and hitch up a fast team for 
a drive. 

I tried to tell him that if his heart was renewed by 
divine grace it would produce such a change that he 
would prefer the church to his stables on Sunday ; but 
apparently no impression was made, for twenty years 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 177 

later his riches had largely increased, but the church 
was abandoned altogether. 

Ripenmg: Chfistians 

It takes a whole season to ripen fruit. There is 
first the blossom, which may be compared to conver- 
sion. It is very beautiful, but it is not fruit. Then 
the blossom blows off ; the first flush of enthusiasm is 
gone, and the careless observer says, "There goes 
another Christian." 

But there is something left — the little beginning of 
the fruit. It grows very slowly, and at midsummer 
we look again, and say, ''Sure enough, there is fruit, 
after all." We taste it, perhaps, but it is flat, and 
sour, and bitter. We are tempted to curl up the face, 
dash the fruit on a stone, and call it worthless; but 
that would be a great mistake. Let it alone; God has 
his purpose in it. Let the sunlight fall upon it a while 
longer; let the breezes kiss it for a few more weeks; 
there is luscious fruit there if we will only wait and 
be patient. 

And you have no doubt observed that it is the last 
few weeks, when the rich haze of autumn begins to 
come, that put the delicate blush on the peach, and 
give the exquisite flavor to the apple. 

And who has not seen Christians ripen after just 
this fashion? A little sour, and flat for many long 
years — disappointing the hopes of those who were 
looking for perfect fruit — and ripening very rapidly 
as the haze of the other world gathered about them. 



^ 



178 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

Riskmgf the Soul 

A soldier was stationed as sentinel on a fortifica- 
tion at the most important point, at the midnight 
hour. This fortification was the key to his country. 
An attack was expected; the enemy was known to be 
not far away; in an important sense everything de- 
pended on his vigilance — ^his own life, the safety of 
the fortification, and the safety of his country. For a 
time he paced up and down with a watchful eye, doing 
a soldier's full duty. It was a warm summer night, 
and after a time he began to be thirsty. There was a 
spring of cold water not far away in the rear and he 
was tempted to leave his post long enough to get a 
drink. He knew it was dangerous to leave his post 
for even a moment, so he banished the thought. 

But the thirst increased, the temptation grew 
strong, and at length he began to reason with himself : 
"The spring is only a short distance away; I shall be 
gone only a moment; the chances are not one in ten 
thousand that the enemy will come at just the instant 
I am gone; I'll run the risk, and relieve my thirst." 
Just then he heard a noise in the distance, and he hesi- 
tated, peering into the darkness and listening intently 
for any further sound. There was nothing but pro- 
found stillness, and with the thought, 'T'll be back in 
a moment," he hurried away to the spring. 

Strange as it may seem, the enemy did come at just 
that moment; the fortification was captured, and he 
fell pierced with bayonets. As the lifeblood was flow- 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 179 

ing from his many wounds he reflected: "How 
strange that they should come at just the moment I 
was gone! This is the result of one moment's care- 
lessness; Fve lost my life by taking one risk in ten 
thousand." 

Many a man has trifled his soul away in just this 
manner. We are dealing with an enemy who watches 
for our moments of weakness, and takes advantage of 
every risk we run. 

An oriental legend reads: 

"A thousand years a poor man watched 

Before the gate of Paradise; 
But while one little nap he snatched, 

It oped and shut. Ah ! was he wise ?'* 

Salvation for All 

During our civil war a sergeant opened a recruiting 
station, and it soon became apparent that, while few 
of the citizens of standing enlisted, the ranks were fill- 
ing up with the worst men in town. Some entire regi- 
ments were made up of this class of persons. It would 
not be fair to say that the sergeant chose these per- 
sons and preferred them for army service. They 
came, and he was glad enough to receive them. If 
they were bad men it was his purpose to transform 
them into good soldiers. 

So Christ offered salvation to all men; the publi- 
cans and harlots came in large numbers; much was 
forgiven, they loved much, and became his substan- 
tial followers. He likewise offered his salvation to 



180 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

the most respectable and moral, but large numbers of 
this class in all ages have chosen rather to reject it. It 
has come to pass that more time has been needed to 
convince many men that they are sinners than to per- 
suade them to accept of Christ. 

Salvation from Sin 

The greatest question is not how to till the soil, or 
carry on manufactures; the greatest question is not 
tariff, or commerce, or money-making; the greatest 
question is not the construction of constitutions and 
laws for states and governments; the greatest ques- 
tion is not how to gather vast stores of knowledge, 
how to rob the earth of its treasures, how to compel 
the stars to give up their secrets, how to fathom the 
deep depths of philosophy. 

O how helpless is human philosophy In the presence 
of the ravages of evil ! It is but a barricade of rushes 
to keep out the roaring lion seeking whom he may 
devour; it is but a dike of straw to stop the ocean's 
resistless tide. 

The autobiography of Solomon Malmon, a Polish 
Jew, who lived in the middle of the eighteenth cen- 
tury, has been translated and published in this coun- 
try. He mastered the whole range of ancient and 
modern philosophy, wrote a large number of philo- 
sophical works, and was one of the most learned men 
of his age. But he neglected and failed to provide for 
his family, and pursued his studies in the midst of 
poverty, filth, and quarreling. At length he forsook 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 181 

his family altogether, was legally separated from his 
wife, and became a veritable philosophical tramp. 
What little money came into his hands was spent in 
beastly drunkenness and filth, and at last he died, in 
the year 1800, in extreme poverty and wretchedness, 
a most glaring illustration of the utter helplessness of 
human learning as a cure for the moral ailments of 
human nature. In this man the lofty speculations of 
philosophy and the lowest depths of moral depravity 
dwelt side by side. 

The greatest problem of human history is the sal- 
vation from sin which the Bible tells so much about. 
And the Gospel of Christ undertakes to solve this 
problem as no other gospel has done or can do. 

Salvation Is of God 

The delicate and complicated human spirit was 
made by a heavenly artist, and there is not a machinist 
on earth who can repair it when it gets out of order; 
it must be taken back to its divine Maker for repair. 

Human skill is very great. These are days of mar- 
velous invention. Men can repair old houses and 
make them look as well as new ; they can repair wag- 
ons, sleighs, and mowing machines; they can mend 
the most intricate machinery in our mills and facto- 
ries; they can even make anew a crushed and broken 
human body. The operations of modern surgery are 
simply marvelous. The blind are made to see, and the 
deaf to hear; missing bones are supplied, and crooked 
ones straightened; diseased brains and intestines are 



182 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

removed, and no part of the body seems beyond the 
reach of human skill. 

But man has discovered no surgery for the diseased 
human spirit. He may control physics, but not meta- 
physics. There is not a machine shop on earth to 
repair a seared conscience, or a demoralized will, or 
a polluted imagination. Does anybody know of any 
manufacturing establishment on earth that makes new 
wills for those who have ruined the ones God gave 
them, or new consciences for those who have polluted 
the ones they originally possessed? This is God's 
work, and not man's. 

Sanctification of Hwrnan Nattirc 

We cannot say just what effect sin produced on the 
human spirit; just what the disorder consists of; 
nor can we tell just what it is necessary for God to 
do in order to make a fallen spirit right again. 

If a wagon breaks down we can look at it and see 
what the matter is ; and we can say to the mechanic : 
"This wheel needs making over," "This axle needs 
straightening," or "This tire needs setting." 

But the spirit of man is an invisible thing ; and our 
knowledge of mental science is not sufficient to enable 
us to say just how sin has affected its powers and 
faculties, and just where the great Creator must put 
his hand to restore it to soundness again. Very likely 
all attempts to unearth the philosophy of regeneration 
will meet with failure; and all theories respecting the 
mode of sanctification will only surround the problem 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 183 

with darkness. Perhaps it is nothing short of pre- 
sumption for sinful men to undertake to tell the 
Almighty just how he shall save a sinful soul. It is 
very likely that he knows more about it than we do. 

All we can safely do is to take the teaching of Scrip- 
ture, that sin has deranged human nature, that it has 
filled the human mind with evil thoughts, with low 
and base motives, with wicked purposes and desires, 
which find their expression in equally wicked actions; 
and that God who made the human spirit in the be- 
ginning can restore man to spiritual soundness again. 

And Christian experience attests the fact that when 
God has done this great work the evil thoughts fly 
away like a flock of frightened birds; the desires be- 
come pure and benevolent; the motives which are the 
very springs of action are made holy; all bitterness, 
and hatred, and selfishness, and meanness are driven 
from the heart; and the renewed man realizes the 
apostle's statement, ''If any man be in Christ, he is a 
new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all 
things are become new." 

Secret Sin 

When a man supposes his wicked acts are all under 
cover he views them with the utmost composure. In- 
dulging the thought that his evil desires, plans, and 
purposes are all unknown, with smiling face he will 
fold his hands over a breast as black as midnight and 
as loathsome as a dungeon. Many a man has lived in 
luxury and composure for years together on the fruits 



184 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

of his stealing, without a thought of repentance or 
restitution while it was all unknown; but when dis- 
covery came, when the light was turned on, he has 
broken down in anguish and shame, and ended his 
days by suicide. 

We can hardly doubt that if the secret sins of any 
community were exposed to the broad sunlight, some 
fine morning, many persons would kill themselves be- 
fore night, and many more would leave town by the 
first train, never to return. It is no doubt a wise 
arrangement that our fellow-men cannot know all the 
secret sins of our lives. 

Two things, however, are certain : We know them 
ourselves — and the remembrance often makes us hang 
our heads with shame — and God knows them. We 
stand face to face with One who can tell us all things 
that ever we did. 

I preached to a man for three years who looked me 
unflinchingly in the face every Sunday, while I talked 
about defaulters and dishonest practices, and it after- 
ward came to light that he was stealing all these years. 

Sccd-sowingf 

In the autumn time we may see stalks of grain still 
standing, from the heads of which the grain has fallen 
out, and a little green patch about the stalks will show 
that the kernels have again sprouted for another crop. 
Such stalks are emblems of Christians who have 
grown old in the service, and live to see a good crop 
springing up from their own sowing. It is the joy 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 185 

of their old age that they can see their children and 
neighbors continuing the good work that they have 
loved. 

Thistles likewise ripen early, and the winds carry 
their seeds far and wide, which spring up for a new 
crop while the old stalks still wave defiantly in the 
wind. Such are old worn-out sinners who live to see 
others following their example and doing evil because 
they have done evil. An old man of my acquaintance 
was a notorious drunkard all his mature years, and he 
lived to stand with three of his sons before the bar of 
a county tavern so drunk that they held on to each 
other to keep from falling. 

Seizing Oppotttinities 

The newspapers give an incident which has a lesson 
for men in spiritual things. 

The Duke of Marlborough, with his prospective 
American bride and some friends, was strolling at 
Newport past the tent of a photographer, and the duke 
asked him if he thought he could take the group. The 
photographer replied that he took groups only at his 
rooms, some distance away. He had his little rule in 
this matter and did not wish to vary from it, so the 
party walked on. Many people tie themselves up 
by foolish rules, and cannot take advantage of 
opportunities. 

A moment later a friend said to him, "You missed 
a splendid opportunity; that was the Duke of Marl- 
borough." The photographer discovered when it was 



186 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

too late that he had missed an opportunity that might 
have been a small fortune to him. 

In higher, spiritual matters men fall into the habit 
of letting opportunities go by until at last there are no 
more opportunities. Some one has wisely and wit- 
tily said, ''The people most in danger of going to hell 
are those who expect to start for heaven to-morrow." 
I once heard a layman say in a public meeting, ''Per- 
haps some of you are planning to do something by 
and by; but the future is greatly overworked already." 
We are planning to do many things by and by that 
will never be done, because we let all opportunities slip 
by. When Christ knocks let us hasten to the door. 

Service the Test of Gteatness 

The sun does not draw in light and heat to itself 
from the surrounding universe. It stands uncovered 
in the heavens and ceaselessly gives out floods of light 
and warmth for millions of miles around; and so 
many volumes of poetry have been written in praise 
of the sun. 

Let me give two illustrations which came under my 
own observation. A wealthy and very generous 
Christian man died in a certain city, and as his body 
was borne to its last resting place the streets were 
lined with poor people who came from the alleys and 
workshops to do him honor. Dirty handkerchiefs 
wiped many a tear from dirty faces, as one after an- 
other said, "I have lost a friend." 

I was compelled to attend the funeral of another 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 187 

wealthy man, a member of a Christian church in a 
neighboring city, and was mortified to hear on every 
hand the expression, ^'He was the smallest, meanest 
man in the city;" and they brought facts to prove it. 
Both men had had the same opportunity to show 
what they would do with wealth; the one was voted 
great and good, the other small and mean. 

Sicfc-bcd Repentance 

As a pastor I have had a very discouraging expe- 
rience with sick-bed repentance. 

A young man of Christian parents was brought to 
the very verge of death by a severe accident, and fear- 
ing he might die he made a profession of religion, 
was baptized, and received into the church on proba- 
tion. Slowly he recovered, and as slowly his reli- 
gious experience faded away and his promises were 
forgotten. 

I visited another under very similar circumstances. 
A dangerous wound brought him near to death, and 
after repeated conversations he professed to believe on 
Christ, and was anxious to get well that he might 
come to church and make a public profession of his 
faith. But he never came. It was all forgotten when 
health returned. 

Still another young man I was called to visit in 
dangerous sickness. Greatly alarmed about himself, 
he spent his time in earnest prayer, planned a complete 
revolution of his life, was even going into the minis- 
try, and consulted me respecting a course of study for 



188 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

that purpose. But when he was restored to health no 
amount of urging could get him to church, his con- 
victions faded away, and he drifted into skepticism. 

These instances resulted in recovery ; in other cases 
death ensued, and the outcome is with God. I have 
stood by the deathbed of many who left their prepara- 
tion for eternity to the last moment ; and I have heard 
them cry in agony, "I don't know how to believe on 
Christ ; tell me how to believe on him." 

I was called to the dying bed of a young man who 
would not have a minister so long as there was any 
hope of his recovery. When I first called his friends 
warned me to be very careful and not say too much 
about religion; but as death approached he became 
eager and anxious to converse on the subject. He 
sent for me two or three times a day to pray with him, 
and seemed somehow to think that the minister could 
save him. With panting breath he tried to join in the 
prayers offered and the hymns sung, while an expres- 
sion of great anxiety and fear rested on his coun- 
tenance. He was trying to find God, but did little 
more than cling to the minister. 

I was sent for by a mother to see her daughter who 
was going into consumption ; but the young lady has- 
tened out of the back door as she saw me coming in. 
Later, however, she sent for me, when she found that 
death was fast approaching, and was ready to talk 
about the concerns of her immortal soul. 

Many times I have been sent for to visit unsaved 
men in the dying hour after the dark pall of uncon-^ 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 189 

sciousness had fallen upon them, and they could hear 
nothing that was said. It is a cruel inconsistency to 
place a minister of Christ in such a position. If peo- 
ple wait so long it would be just as well to wait longer. 

Sin 

Sin is like the unequal distribution of heat in nature 
which keeps the ocean in continual agitation and fills 
the air with gales and storms. Sin is an element of 
unrcbt everywhere. God has said that the wicked are 
like the troubled sea when it cannot rest. Sin has pro- 
duced all the wars, and strifes, and turmoils, and 
hatreds of earth. There is no peace for men until they 
are beyond the dominion of sin. 

Sin is out of place in human nature. It is a defile- 
ment upon that which should have been clean and 
beautiful. I went into my garden one beautiful Sun- 
day morning in summer. The sun was shining in 
glory; the dew was sparkling on the grass; and the 
flowers were smiling in beauty on every side. It was 
a scene of exquisite loveliness. 

But a snake had been seen in that beautiful garden. 
Could it be that so vile a reptile was in such a place 
of beauty? I searched about for a long time among 
the blooming flowers. There was nothing in their 
fragrance or beauty to indicate that a snake had ever 
been there. It seemed like the last place in the world 
where one could find a serpent. 

But at last I found him, coiled up on top of a bunch 
of beautiful white lilies in the bright sunshine. I took 



190 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

a hoe, and, softly approaching the reptile, with one 
vigorous blow laid him lifeless at my feet. 

That snake coiled up among the white lily blossoms 
is a picture of sin in human nature; a stain, a blotch 
upon the fairest work of God, and entirely out of 
place. 

Sin and Death 

Sin leads to death. The railroad track leads to 
New York. If a man boards the train and follows 
the track he will reach the city. The train may stop 
at this station and stop at that; it may back up some- 
times, and go faster or slower, but it will reach its 
destination by and by. 

If a man should undertake to walk every foot of 
the way he would eventually reach his destination if 
he followed the track. It would require many days, 
but the great city would by and by come in sight 
without fail. 

A snail may creep along by the side of the track, 
and the result is just as certain. It may pass two win- 
ters before the journey is completed, but if it persist- 
ently follows the track it will reach New York. 

And if a man follows sin he will reach death by 
and by. He may halt and back up; run onto side 
tracks for a time; go faster, go slower; but if he per- 
sistently practices sin he will reach death in the end. 
Some go faster than others, but all go. 

And under the present constitution of things a man 
ought not to expect that he can follow a course of sin 
and reach any other destination. A man ought not to 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 191 

suppose that he can live in sin all his life and then fare 

as well as the man who has taken the trouble to obey 

God's laws. 

Sin and Law 

We live under an administration of law ; and we do 
not complain of this, but think it a wise arrangement. 
Natural law touches us in every experience of life. 

It is a law of nature that fire burns. If a man 
thrusts his hand into the fire he expects it to be burned ; 
and we do not complain of this, we simply try to keep 
our hands out of the fire. 

It is a law of nature that water will drown us. We 
do not quarrel with this arrangement, but we try to 
keep out of the water. 

We are ceaselessly operating under the law of 
gravitation, by which an unsupported body is drawn 
toward the center of the earth. If a man walks off the 
edge of a precipice he goes down to destruction. We 
accept this as a wise law, and try to keep away from 
the edge of the precipice. 

And so relentless are these laws in their operation 
that, though a child innocently and ignorantly violates 
them, he must surely pay the penalty. And we do not 
complain of even this. We think it better to have a 
uniform system of law, with all its hardships, than 
to be without law. 

Our mental operations are also regulated by law. 
We think by law, and feel by law; and if we violate 
the laws of mind we must pay the penalty. We do 
not complain that God has so ordered it that if a man 



192 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

does not cultivate his mental faculties they will dete- 
riorate, we rather try to become acquainted with the 
laws of our being and live in harmony with them. 

God has given us laws in the moral and spiritual 
realm also; and the Bible says that *'Sin is the trans- 
gression of the law." These higher laws have their 
penalty as well as the lower. A man ought not to 
think that he can live a life of sin and not suffer the 
inevitable consequences. It is not reasonable. Con- 
sequently men ought to become familiar with God's 
moral and spiritual laws and obey them as they obey 
the laws of matter and mind. 

Sin, Its Bondagfe 

A poor drunkard told me he had resolved over and 
over again to conquer his appetite; had begged of 
friends to help him; had put himself under the best 
of influences; had taxed the arts of physicians, and 
put under contribution every agency, but had repeat- 
edly fallen, until he had lost all heart, and was crushed 
under the power of this base appetite — ^humbled, mor- 
tified, in the most cruel and disgusting slavery, with 
no power to break the galling yoke. What an abject 
slaver}^ is this! How men abhor themselves when 
they behold their helplessness ! 

Another poor slave to intoxicating drink, after re- 
peated efforts and repeated failures, came to my house 
late one Sunday evening and wanted to take the 
pledge. I wrote a strong pledge, and, after reading it 
to him, he signed it, and went his way. In a few 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 193 

weeks he came back and wanted another pledge. The 
old one was broken and lost. As I was writing it he 
said, with pitiful tone and expression: "Put some- 
thing into it that will make me keep it." He had lost 
all confidence in himself. 

He asked what man cannot give, but I tried to show 
him that God could put something into him that would 
make it possible for him to keep his pledge. 

Sin^ Its Action and Reaction 

Every sin is a power for evil let loose in human 
society, and the amount of harm done by it will depend 
on the influence of the sinner or the circumstances 
attending his sin. An earthquake in mid-Pacific sent 
a tidal wave sweeping for hundreds of miles to sub- 
merge and destroy thirty thousand people on the coast 
of Japan. A little pebble dropped into the ocean has 
likewise power to send a little ripple in widening 
circles to the farthest extent of the ocean. And God 
will hold us responsible for what influence we have, 
and not for what we have not. If we have the intel- 
lectual power to send a resistless wave of influence 
sweeping down the ages God will hold us responsible 
for the character of that influence; but if we have 
power to send only a ripple of influence across the 
surface of human society we shall be held responsible 
for that ripple. 

A Christian woman told me that when she com- 
menced the Christian life she watched the wives of 
the official members of the Church, determined to live 



194 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

as they lived. She soon found that she was losing 
ground in religious things, and was obliged to look 
to a higher ideal. When we little think it our ex- 
ample for evil is helping some one to travel in the 
wrong road. 

And every sin which gives a wrong impulse to 
others likewise reacts to make the sinner worse and 
confirm him in his evil course. In the civil war some 
Federal batteries were planted behind earthworks at 
Port Hudson very close to the rebel fortifications. 
When shells were fired into the enemy's breastworks 
they frequently exploded in the ground, and the pieces 
would fly back to kill or wound the very men who had 
fired the shells. And every man who hurls an evil 
thought or deed out into human life lets loose a force 
for evil which not only harms others, but returns with 
baleful power upon his own head. 

Spirittial Cripples 

A tree with one limb stretching out in proper pro- 
portion and the other limbs stunted or dead is not a 
beautiful tree. A man with one vigorous, natural 
arm and the other withered and helpless by his side is 
not a pleasant sight. If a sculptor should undertake 
to chisel the human form from a block of marble, and 
should make one arm too long and the other too short, 
leaving out one eye altogether, it would not redeem 
his work from failure that the nose was of proper 
shape and the shoulders well rounded. And when we 
see a man with some excellences of character, but with 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 195 

many weaknesses and defects, we can only regard 
him as a moral and religious cripple. Men compla- 
cently excuse themselves by saying, "O, every one has 
his faults." That is no doubt true; but it does not 
cure faults to excuse them. Probably a cripple is bet- 
ter than no man at all, and a spiritual cripple better 
than no Christian at all. 

Spifittial Death 

You have seen a dead tree standing in a pasture. 
What a desolate thing it is ! Once it was alive. For 
years it shot out leaves and branches every spring, put 
forth its beautiful blossoms, and every autumn was 
loaded with rich fruit. The cattle lay in its shade pro- 
tected from the heat of the sun ; insects sported in the 
coolness it afforded; birds sang and built their nests 
among its branches ; children played in its shadow and 
enjoyed its delicious fruit. But one year its leaves 
were smaller than usual, the blossoms few in number, 
and the fruit stunted. The next year there were fewer 
leaves and blossoms, and the next no blossoms at all — 
only a few sickly leaves. The next spring, when other 
trees were putting on their beautiful foliage, it re- 
mained naked. It was dead. It still stands in its 
accustomed place, towering up into the sky; but no 
sap courses up through its roots and trunk to nourish 
the distant branches. No green leaves appear to 
clothe its nakedness; no beautiful blossoms adorn it; 
when autumn comes there is no fruit; the children 
play there no more; the cattle find shelter elsewhere; 



196 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

the birds have forsaken its branches, no nests are built, 
no songs are heard; the bark is dropping from it, and 
the branches are falling one by one. The tree is dead, 
and stands in desolation crumbling back to earth 
again. 

Like such dead trees are the Christian characters of 
some who were once warm and active and zealous in 
the service of Christ. They were clothed in the beau- 
tiful garments of salvation; they were fruit-bearing 
Christians; the wayfarer found shelter beneath their 
shadow ; they were liberal ; they ministered to the sick 
and succored the tempted; they comforted the weak 
and revived the faint; their voices were everywhere 
heard in honor of Christ, and they were foremost in 
all good works. But a change came over them ; a chill 
passed over the ardor of their love; their zeal waned; 
their good works grew less and less; the warm flush 
of spiritual health faded away, and the pale hue of 
death took its place. They may stand in the same 
place in the church, as the tree stands in its place in 
the pasture, its dismal branches stretching up into the 
heavens, but, like the tree, they are dead; having the 
form of godliness but not the power of it. A sadder 
sight than a dead tree is a dead Christian. 

Spiritual Geography 

The devil's territory and Immanuel's ground lie 
side by side in this world, and the two lands are much 
alike on the border. The soils are quite similar, and 
the surfaces much the same. The adversary has fixed 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 197 

up his grounds so that they look almost as well on the 
border as the fields of the pleasant land. He comes in 
the garb of an angel of light to deceive the very elect, 
and often succeeds in doing so. 

This line between the devil's territory and Imman- 
uel's ground is like the line between day and night on 
the surface of the earth ; the light and darkness shade 
into each other. But these two countries, which look 
so alike on the border, change entirely in appearance 
as we go back into the interior. The one grows 
brighter and brighter until it reaches the glory of 
eternal day; while the other grows continually darker 
and darker until it ends in eternal night. 

This border land seems to be densely populated. 
Many sinners have come up toward the border, and 
many saints have come down toward the border, and 
there they stand in crowds parleying across the line 
as if to effect a compromise, so mixed in appearance 
and manner that ordinary eyes cannot distinguish be- 
tween them. If Christians will persist in living on the 
border, if they will try to be just as near the dividing 
line as possible without actually crossing it, is it any 
wonder if they get things mixed and are actually over 
the line without knowing it? 

Dr. Holland speaks of "worldly people with tender 
consciences and Christian people with tough con- 
sciences;" and such a condition furnishes the exact 
materials necessary for a mingling of the church and 
the world. What is imperatively needed to-day is 
a church that is unlike the world — a great host of 



198 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

Christian men and women who are readily distin- 
guishable from all other men and women by the holi- 
ness of their lives. The church of God needs to leave 
this border land, and move back into the interior. 

Spiritual Light 

All the spiritual light there is in the world radiates 
from the lives of Christians. The individual soul is 
the wick of the candle or lamp, the oil is divine grace, 
and the wick is ignited by a spark of heavenly fire. It 
is in the wick that the light is visible. There is no 
light in systems of theology. Divine truth becomes 
luminous only in the lives of Christian men and 
women. 

Formerly churches were lighted with candles — a, 
large number of them for a large church. Now a few 
great electric lights accomplish the purpose. The for- 
mer method better represents the spiritual light of the 
church. No one great man does the shining for the 
whole church. Every member is a little candle, and 
the aggregate of all the candles constitutes the light 
of the church. Let a candle represent one member; 
then if all are lit we have a three-hundred, five-hun- 
dred, seven-hundred candle-power church. But if 
three fourths of the candles are not lit the church can- 
not shine at its best. But let all be lit, all trimmed, all 
carefully and often snuffed, all thieves taken away 
from the wicks, and you have a magnificent spiritual 
light. The loss of one candle reduces the aggregate 
of the light. 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 199 

It is much better to have every member contribute 
something to the aggregate light of the church than 
to have a few members do all the shining, for if any- 
thing happens to these few the light of the church 
goes out. 

I preached in one church which was lighted by two 
large electric lights, and the result was as disastrous 
as to have a church run by two great men. These two 
great electric lights used to hiss and sputter contin- 
ually, burning very low and then flaring up at inter- 
v?ls, until one evening, after the usual unpleasant 
demonstrations, they went out altogether. The more 
recent and better method is to have a large number of 
small electric lights. And this much better represents 
the spiritual light of the church, which is the aggre- 
gate of all the lights which the members shed on the 

community. 

Spifitual Magfnetism 

The saved man receives new elements into his life; 
he comes under celestial influences; the power of an 
endless life rests upon him ; and he is ceaselessly drawn 
Godward and heavenward. 

The needle in the compass trembles and sways from 
side to side, yet always settles toward the north. It 
looks like any other piece of steel, but a mysterious 
power has come upon it ; it is chained to the pole, and 
gladly obeys the influence that controls it. 

So perfect is this submission to a higher power that 
the hunter takes it into the dense forest, and in the 
darkest day, or blackest night, it will point to the 



200 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

north and guide his footsteps aright. The mariner 
takes it out onto the trackless ocean, and it remains 
true to the pole. When the sun is shining in the heav- 
ens, or the stars sparkling above him, he hardly needs 
his compass, but the needle points, nevertheless, to the 
north. When storms arise, however; when thick 
clouds shut out the friendly stars, and midnight dark- 
ness settles over the howling waste of waters, he has 
no other guide — ^he stands over his compass as his 
only friend. And it guides him aright. He can sail 
into the very teeth of the storm, through the thickest 
pall of darkness, toward a port that is thousands of 
miles away. 

And the Christian is a magnetized man. A myste- 
rious heavenly influence has come upon him, and he is 
chained Godward and heavenward in his course. He 
looks like other men, but he is very different from any 
other man who has not this divine power resting upon 
him. Outside attractions may cause the needle to 
sway backward and forward somewhat, but in all its 
oscillations it yet points in the direction of its eternal 
destiny. If a man is a Christian the whole drift of his 
life is toward God and heaven. 

"Rivers to the ocean run, 

Nor stay in all their course; 
Fire ascending seeks the sun; 

Both speed them to their source: 
So a soul that's born of God, 

Pants to view his glorious face; 
Upward tends to his abode, 

To rest in his embrace." 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 201 

Storms of Life 

It is said that wind and storm never make any dif- 
ference with the thermometer. It is no colder when 
a fierce wind is blowing than when it is still; in fact, 
the coldest days are generally still days. But storms 
and winds make a great difference with these poor 
sickly bodies of ours. 

In like manner the winds and storms and troubles 
of life have a very depressing effect on our poor sensi- 
tive spirits, but they do not affect the temperature of 
God's love. He loves us just as much when fierce 
winds are buffeting us and tempests of trouble are 
breaking upon our heads. But men find it very diffi- 
cult to divest themselves of the old heathen notion that 
prosperity is the sunshine of God's favor and afflic- 
tion a sign of his wrath. When trouble and sorrow 
fall upon them they begin to look about and ask, 
"What have I done to merit all this ?" 

Sympathy 

Sympathy is a noble word. It is the life current of 
the church. Some scientists claim that there is a mag- 
netic current passing around the earth from north to 
south, and that if we lie down to sleep at night with 
the head to the north this current will flow along the 
nerves of the body and soothe us to rest, but if we lie 
across the current it will fret us and disturb our 
slumbers. 

We need not concern ourselves about the correct- 



202 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

ness of this theory; but there surely is a current of 
sympathy flowing through the church of God. To be 
in this current is to find rest in the church ; to be out 
of this current, or across it, is to find the church a very 
uncomfortable place. 

Temperance 

We have on the surface of the earth what is called 
the temperate zone, the broad belt lying between the 
tropic and polar circles — lying between extreme heat 
and extreme cold. Its climate is temperate, moderate, 
mild — neither too hot nor too cold. It is free from 
the burning sun, the poisonous reptiles, the deadly 
miasms of the tropics; and also from the enfeebling 
cold and perpetual ice fields of the polar regions. The 
temperate zone has ever been the most desirable part 
of earth. Here civilization has spread, here Chris- 
tianity has flourished, and here the great and heroic 
deeds of history were performed. Strike out the tem- 
perate zone, with its great achievements, and earth 
with its history would largely disappear. And it is 
the moderation of its climate which has made it what 
it is, while the extremes of the tropic and polar re- 
gions account for their unfavorable conditions. 

In like manner temperance in its broadest sense is 
the temperate zone of human life. Within this happy 
mean have flourished health, joy, peace, friendship, 
and piety; while intemperance has led to a large part 
of the ills that afllict human life. 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 203 

Temperance Seesaw 

Schoolboys in the country play a game of teetering. 
A long board or plank is balanced over a rail in the 
fence, one person sits on one end of the plank and the 
other on the other end, while they teeter up and down. 
As one goes up the other goes down; as the other 
goes up the one goes down; neither gets any advan- 
tage, and not much comes of it. 

This has seemed to me a fair illustration of the 
contest that has been long going on between the liquor 
men and the radical temperance men. It is up and 
down, up and down, sometimes the one having the 
advantage and sometimes the other. Neither has 
gained a victory, and the question is still unsettled. 

In this game of teetering a third person sometimes 
took his seat on the plank just over the center of grav- 
ity, where the motion of the plank affected him very 
little, and where he had little or no influence over the 
motion of the plank. This third person was called 
the candlestick — probably because he shed the light of 
his countenance equally on both contestants. Some- 
times half a dozen boys sat on the fence just over the 
middle of the plank and watched the game, while ex- 
erting no influence upon it. If these boys on the 
fence, however, moved over to one side or the other, 
the opposite boy was hoisted high into the air and 
held there, and there was nothing left him but to climb 
down the plank to the side of the majority. 

There is a great middle class in the temperance 



204 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

issue who are merely spectators of the temperance 
contest. They are over the center of gravity, and are 
exerting very little influence on one side or the other. 
And while they occupy this position the teetering goes 
on between the liquor men and the radical temperance 
men without much result. 

If this great middle class would throw their weight 
on the right side in this contest there can be no doubt 
that the advocates of liquor would be worsted. And 
why should they not? No man can quite afford to 
stand over the center of gravity in a great moral issue. 

Temptations 

Temptations afford vigorous exercise to harden the 
spiritual muscles. Temptations are the heavy ham- 
mer of the smith, the ringing ax of the woodman, the 
dumb-bells of the gymnast, which tighten the tendons, 
solidify the muscles, and invigorate the entire frame. 
Temptations are the fiery sun of summer, the biting 
frost of winter, which give color, hardiness, and endur- 
ance to the physical system. Temptations are the 
storms that sweep the ocean of life to give courage, 
skill, and patience to the sailors who tread the 
deck. Storms make sailors, and temptations make 
Christians. 

If the storms would surely crush and bury the ves- 
sel in the boiling ocean our courage, vigor, and hardi- 
ness would be purchased at too great a cost. If these 
experiences are too strong for human nature they can- 
not develop a spiritual life; and poor struggling souls 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 205 

often declare that the divine discipline is too heroic 
to do us any good. But God declares that he has an 
eye on the training of his children, and will not suffer 
them to be tempted beyond what they are able to bear; 
and we can well believe that God knows how much 
discipline we need, and how great trials we can bear, 
much better than we ourselves can know. 

"Blessed is the man that endureth temptation." 
Better a storm that blows us toward heaven than a 
calm that delays our journey, or a gentle breeze that 
blows us the other way; better a storm, so long as 
Christ walks on the water to control the winds and 
waves. Human experience seems to confirm the 
teaching of God's word that the storms all blow heav- 
enward. We must sail away from the better country 
by beating against the storms. Christians make rapid 
speed toward heaven when storms fill the sails. Six 
months of trouble will often do more to culture a 
Christian than six years of prosperity. The disciples 
when crossing the Sea of Galilee thought the storm 
a calamity, but it accomplished two purposes which 
they did not anticipate — it brought Christ to them, and 
it carried them just where they wanted to go. 

"If, on a quiet sea, 

Toward heaven we calmly sail, 
With grateful hearts, O God, to thee, 

We'll own the favoring gale. 
But should the surges rise, 

And rest delay to come. 
Blest be the tempest, kind the storm, 

Which drives us nearer home." 



206 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

Tcstmgf Truth 

These are times of unusual intellectual restlessness 
and questioning. Truth will be subjected to many 
unreasonable tests, but we have no cause to fear the 
ultimate result. Winnowing never injures wheat. It 
is often necessary to run it through the fanning mill 
two or three times to get it reasonably pure. And if 
a person in mere wantonness should insist on running 
it through a dozen fanning mills of as many different 
kinds, it will be found that, in the face of the strong- 
est blast, the heavy, full-sized wheat will come down 
unharmed; while nothing but chaff, or dead insects, 
or imperfect kernels will be blown away. 

And God's undying truth will outlive all the tests 
to which it may be subjected. Any amount of win- 
nowing can only eject the chaff and half-filled kernels, 
while the genuine truth will come back again to its 
old place in the hearts and consciences of men. 

Thitstingf for God 

We were going with our little girl a short distance 
on the cars one hot summer day, when she was just 
beginning to talk. We forgot before entering the 
cars to give her a drink of water. The train had no 
sooner started than she became thirsty, and began to 
ask for water. I looked through the car and found 
there was no water on it. That little cry became im- 
portunate, and I searched the whole length of the 
train, and inquired of brakeman and conductor; I 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 207 

stopped at every station and looked for water, but 
found none. 

Then we tried to amuse her and divert her thoughts 
from the burning thirst within; just as the world tries 
to lead the human soul to forget its spiritual thirst. 
We talked to her about her playthings and picture 
books, but nothing could still that plaintive cry for 
water. We told her about her relatives and little 
playmates, but she answered us with the one word 
"Water," repeated over and over. We told her sto- 
ries about animals she had learned to know by name, 
and resorted to every expedient to divert her atten- 
tion, but all to no purpose. She did not cry in anger, 
but above our voices, and above the rattling of the 
train, that little pitiful voice was ceaselessly heard 
crying, "Water, water, water," until the train reached 
its destination. 

This wonderful exhibition of persistent thirst led 
me to think that if we thirsted after God in this fash- 
ion; if we cried out for the living God as ceaselessly 
and longingly, our spiritual thirst would somehow be 
satiated, for God can do what earthly parents cannot. 
And if we answered all the allurements and pleasures 
and enticements of the world with the one persistent 
cry, "My God, my God, my God, give me more of 
thyself," we might have less of the world, perhaps, 
but we should have the fullness of God's presence in 
our souls. 

Searching through that train, and resorting to every 
expedient to get water for that child, brought to mind 



208 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

the beautiful words of our Saviour, "If ye, then, being 
evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, 
how much more shall your Father which is in heaven 
give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him." We may 
say with the psalmist, "My heart and my flesh crieth 
out for the living God;" and God will satisfy the 
longings of our souls. 

Touching: Chtlst 

It is entirely legitimate to win people to ourselves, 
that through ourselves we may cause them to touch 
Christ, If persons join hands in a circle it is neces- 
sary for only two of them to take hold of the handles 
of a battery and all alike feel the shock. I am smitten 
with the electric current, not because I took hold of 
my neighbor's hand, but because I somehow — ^any- 
how—came under the power of the battery. And a 
man is vivified by the power of the Gospel, not because 
he has touched Paul, or Wesley, or some favorite 
preacher, or fellow-Christian, but because through any 
of these means he has come under the power of Christ. 
If we occupy such a relation that the sap from the 
main vine finds its way through other branches to us, 
we are in the spiritual current, and will live, blossom, 
and bear fruit. 

Types of Christian Charactcf 

We must recognize the fact that, on account of the 
infirmities of human nature, there are a great many 
types of Christian character — some more and some 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 209 

less excellent and beautiful. With God the same, 
Christ the same, the Spirit the same, and the truth the 
same, it yet comes to pass that there is almost an end- 
less variety of Christian character. 

The difference is in the persons — just as different 
kinds of glass transmit the same sunlight with vary- 
ing colors and effects. Every flaw in a window pane 
modifies the sunlight which passes through it. 

The white sunlight is not a simple light, but is liiade 
up of rays of different colors, which blend to form the 
white. There are red rays, yellow rays, blue rays, 
and the different colors of objects result from their 
power to reflect this or that kind of ray most per- 
fectly. An object which appears red reflects the red 
rays and absorbs the rest; a yellow object reflects the 
yellow rays and absorbs the others; while a black 
object reflects no rays whatever but absorbs them all, 
and a white object reflects all and absorbs none. Thus 
it is that the same sunlight gives us objects of differ- 
ent colors and beauty. Different colored glasses can 
separate these rays, hindering or entirely suppressing 
some, while permitting others to pass. And it is re- 
served for the prism to separate these rays entirely 
and throw all the colors on a screen in a beautiful 
halo of light. 

In like manner different types of persons, in receiv- 
ing heaven's blessed light upon them, transmit it with 
vastly differing effects and beauty. 

Some can transmit only one attribute of God — ^his 
love — while all the rest are stopped and absorbed in 



210 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

passing through them. They are charming persons, 
but no just reflection of the many-sided God we 
worship. 

Others can reflect only his justice, while the love is 
absorbed. They are upright, just, stern, severe, un- 
lovable Christians. 

The various denominations of Christians each seem 
to single out one attribute of God to make a hobby 
of, and put special emphasis upon, while the others 
are given less consideration. One has magnified 
God's omnipotence until they make him an almighty 
machine that relentlessly does everything he is able 
to do without reference to the wisdom of what he 
does. The divine foreknowledge has been broadened 
by many until it trenches upon the prerogatives of 
omnipotence. Another great body of Christians has 
emphasized divine holiness beyond anything else; 
while another puts almost the sole emphasis on God's 
love, making him a being too weak and tender-hearted 
to do what really ought to be done. 

Christians should be prisms — reflecting all the light 
of God that falls upon them, in just proportion and 
beauty, not hindering or modifying the divine light 
in any way. 

Unity of God 

There is need of the divine unity in the government 
of the universe. There must be one head, and only one. 
The religion of the Parsees — perhaps the noblest of 
the ethnic religions — enthroned two principles, good 
and evil, with equal power and authority — the one to 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 211 

undo the work of the other. Two gods, ruling alter- 
nately or ruling as rivals, would thoroughly upset 
each other's plans. There must be a single authority. 
The House of Representatives passes a law, and the 
Senate rejects it; or, both houses pass it, and the 
President vetoes it ; or, it passes both houses, with the 
President's signature, and the Supreme Court pro- 
nounces it unconstitutional. The co-ordinate kings of 
Sparta were in continued rivalry. Homer represents 
the gods as taking different sides in the Trojan war — 
a part fighting on the side of the Greeks, and a part 
for the beleaguered city. 

"For mortal men celestial powers engage, 
And gods on gods exert eternal rage." 

No plan of salvation could stand on such a basis. 
The terms might be changed at any time and the whole 
plan vitiated. 

Valtie of Love 

There are no words so pleasant to human ears as 
the words, "I love you." These three short words 
bring the highest earthly joy to the timid maiden's 
heart. These three words fire the soul of the young 
man, and make him ready to do and dare for the one 
who utters them. These simple words cheer the bur- 
dened wife in the midst of her household cares and 
inspire the husband and father in his labors for the 
family. Children grow up in gentleness, virtue, and 
piety under the influence of loving words ; and parents 



212 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

are comforted in their cares and anxieties by loving 
words from their children. 

I knew a little boy who used to go to his mother 
twenty times a day, and, twining his arms about her 
neck, say, "Mamma, I love you." He was naughty 
sometimes, and disobedient, and made some trouble, 
but this atoned for it all. There is hope for the boy 
who continues to love his mother. 

How it warms our hearts toward a person to be 
told that he loves us. We may have been indifferent 
to him; we may have had a poor opinion of him; he 
may have grave weaknesses and faults; but it raises 
him wonderfully in our estimation to know that he 
loves us. His faults hide away, and his virtues come 
to the front at once, and we think he is quite a man 
after all. 

And it is one of the most precious thoughts in all 
the wide range of Christianity that God so values hu- 
man love as to ask for it, bid for it, plead for it, and 
miss it if it is not given. 

Waitxngf for Favorable Opportunities 

Three haymakers had a large field of clover to cut — 
so large that it would require two days to do it suc- 
cessfully, as the grass was heavy and would not dry 
in one day. Clover must be cut at the right time or 
it suffers a rapid deterioration. They delayed as long 
as possible for weather so favorable that they could 
be reasonably assured of two good days in succession. 
A week was thus spent in waiting, and the grass was 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 213 

more than ripe, when it was resolved to cut it on the 
following Monday. 

But Monday morning was dark and lowery, and 
they thought it would rain before noon, so the work 
was postponed till Tuesday. The weather cleared, 
however, after a few hours, but it was too late for 
that day. Tuesday morning was darker than ever, and 
bringing all their wisdom to bear on the weather, they 
decided that it must rain within two hours, so the 
work was postponed till Wednesday. But before 
noon on Tuesday the sun was shining bright and hot 
and it proved an excellent hay day. Thus it con- 
tinued day after day, the morning dark and threat- 
ening, and the latter part of the day fair. A whole 
week was thus spent in irresolution, and in the 
meantime the grass had become so ripe as to be 
almost worthless. 

The second Monday morning looked darker than 
ever, if possible, and two of the men were in favor of 
waiting still longer for fair weather, but the third 
said, "No; it is time we attended to our clover and 
stopped gazing at the clouds." The clover was cut, 
and by Tuesday night was safely in the barn; and so 
it might have been just one week before. "He that 
observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that re- 
gardeth the clouds shall not reap." The best rule 
for the farmer is to sow when seedtime comes, and 
reap when the grain is ripe, with little attention to 
weather signs. 

The same rule has been found to apply to spiritual 



214 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

sowing and reaping. Whoever watches and waits for 
entirely favorable opportunities will never accomplish 
much. The man who does most is the one who keeps 
in mind the rule, *ln season, out of season." 

Waitings for God 

The man who cannot wait cannot accomplish great 
things. The history of the world furnishes many 
illustrations of this truth. 

The Cologne cathedral was six hundred years and 
over in building. I climbed up to the top of one of 
the seven mountains of the Rhine and saw the quarry 
from which the stone was dug, and they were still 
at work there. I looked upon the unfinished building ; 
saw men cutting stone in the rear under sheds ; looked 
upon the immense scaffolding by which they raised 
stones to the towers yet incomplete, while the stones 
on the old part were crumbling away with age. A 
long time to wait for a cathedral! But at last the 
scaffolds were taken down for the first time in six 
hundred years. But we could afford to wait, for we 
have in the end one of the grandest structures in the 
world. 

Lincoln and Douglas had a joint political debate 
in Illinois to determine which should be United States 
senator. I remember reading it when a boy. Lin- 
coln uttered sentiments the country was not quite 
ready for, but which were bound to triumph by and by. 
Douglas became a senator, but that debate made Lin- 
coln President in the great crisis of our civil war. We 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 215 

can afford to take our stand on the right, and wait 
until the world comes around to it. 

The man who gets in a hurry in studying God's 
operations in nature and providence is in great dan- 
ger of becoming a skeptic. 

God's ancient people grew very restless in Baby- 
lonian captivity, when they read in their prophets that 
this cruel city was to be wiped out of existence. Time 
seemed to drag at a snail's pace; but the papers an- 
nounce that the site of buried Babylon is now owned 
by two Jews. 

For many years the cry of the enslaved went up to 
heaven from our own land, and many cried out, "How 
long, O Lord, how long?" Some were even led to 
question the justice and judgment of God; and they 
shut their Bibles and threw them aside because God 
was so slow. But God's time came at last, and he did 
what the nation had refused to do. 

And if we see wrongs unrighted to-day let us not 
doubt or be discouraged, but wait, wait, wait for God. 
His eye is on things, and his purpose never falters. 

Waste Material 

In the great locomotive works at Schenectady the 
best iron that is used in the construction of an engine 
is made from refuse iron bought from the railroads 
for a trifle. This scrap iron is cut up into small pieces, 
and a certain weight of these pieces is wired to a 
board, which is put into a furnace. By the time the 
board is burned up the pieces of iron are fused to- 



216 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

gether, and the mass is then hammered into a bolt. 
The bolts thus made are nearly of the same size, and 
as they are needed for different parts of the engine 
they are heated again and again and hammered into 
shape. Thus the best iron is made, for the most im- 
portant parts of a wonderful machine which must be 
as perfect as possible, from material that is usually 
thrown away. 

So can God make something very useful and very 
perfect out of what is considered the very poorest 
human material. Though called scraps, these waste 
pieces of iron are nevertheless just as good as any 
iron. They only need a little more working over. So 
the waste scraps of humanity, which are too often 
neglected and despised, sometimes contain the very 
best material, and may be made fit for the highest uses. 

Watching: 

Whoever has stood by the side of a pilot on a Miss- 
issippi River steamboat must know something about 
watching. The Mississippi is a very crooked river, 
winding about in every direction, full of snags and 
rocks, islands and sandbars, and shallow places. There 
are short corners to be turned, and constant danger of 
running over something that will endanger the vessel, 
its cargo, and the lives of the passengers. While 
making a trip during the civil war from Port 
Hudson to Cairo our vessel struck another vessel 
in a fog, and ran over a snag which damaged one 
of the wheels. 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 217 

It is no sleepy man's task to carry a vessel success- 
fully along such a river; and the pilot is not a sleepy 
man. You speak to him, and he will answer your 
questions; but his hands are never taken from the 
wheel, which moves backward and forward to keep 
the vessel in its proper course. He will chat with his 
friends, and join the social laugh, and one not seeing 
him might think him engaged in nothing else but so- 
cial intercourse ; but all this time his eye is never taken 
from the channel of the river, and he has not for a 
moment forgotten that he is a pilot. He will discuss 
with you politics and religion, and talk over the news 
of the day; but he is at the same time constantly look- 
ing out for snags and sand bars, turning his vessel 
here and there that he may avoid danger and find deep 
water. 

If night comes on, or a fog settles, his eye grows 
sharper, he peers more intently into the distance, and 
grasps the wheel more firmly. He may fail to hear 
what you say, or to answer your questions ; he may ask 
you not to talk to him any more, so fully is his mind 
occupied with watching, that he may keep the vessel 
in her course. The fact that his own life, a valuable 
cargo, and the lives of many passengers all depend on 
his vigilance is a heavy responsibility. He dare not 
forget that he is a pilot. 

In some such way must the Christian watch. He 
has life's duties to perform. He must engage in busi- 
ness, politics, science, art, literature ; he must talk with 
friends, and meet the claims of social life; but none 



218 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

of these things must so engross his attention that he 
will for a moment forget that he is trying to steer 
successfully through a world of snares and dangers to 
the port of eternal life. He must not be interested in 
anything so fully as to forget that he is first of all a 
Christian. He must live in the world and yet be on his 
guard against it. And when dangers thicken, when 
the way grows dark and mists gather around, he must 
neglect earthly things, if necessary, and keep his eye 
on the main purpose of life. 

Watchin§f^ Harder Work than Figfhtingf 

A soldier in the Northern army during the civil 
war went for the first time on picket post in the ene- 
my's country. It was midnight. He was entirely 
alone, and half a mile from any other sentinel. The 
country swarmed with those who would gladly have 
taken his life, and he felt it necessary to be constantly 
on the alert. For this purpose he took his station 
under the thick branches of a tree and began his watch. 
For the first hour he did nothing but peer out into the 
darkness watching every shadow which his own fancy 
had conjured up, and straining forward to catch every 
sound that broke the stillness. Only those who have 
tried it can know how fearfully wearying such a proc- 
ess is. Soon his head began to ache ; soon it began to 
reel; his nerves grew restless, and he started at every 
sound. The strain became terrible ; and by the end of 
the hour he thought he could endure it no longer. 
Setting his gun down, he muttered, "If there are any 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 219 

rebels here they are welcome to the first shot, for I 
can stand this no longer;" and leaning back against 
the fence he was soon asleep. If the rebels did not 
kill him it was only because there were none in 
the neighborhood at that time. He put himself 
entirely in the power of any who might wish to 
injure him. 

Christians in like manner often grow tired of watch- 
ing, and put themselves in the power of the enemy. 
This soldier made two mistakes. He watched with 
unreasonable intentness the first hour, and so paved the 
way for a nervous reaction which resulted in abso- 
lute carelessness. The Christian should use common 
sense in the practice of religion. The exercises of the 
Christian life are not meant to be slavery. Assured of 
divine help, he should exercise his own powers in a 
rational way. It is possible to establish a standard of 
watching which can be maintained unbroken year after 
year without reaction. 

'^ What We Shall Be'* 

It is not what we shall have or enjoy, but what we 
shall be. When we are considering merely enjoy- 
ment — happiness, toys, possessions — we are on a very 
low plane of thought ; and when we attempt to measure 
heaven by what we shall have and enjoy there, we have 
altogether missed the mark. 

As the kingdom of God is within us here, so will it 
be there. The term ''kingdom of God" is a broad one, 
covering the Christian's experience both here and here- 



220 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

after; so that, as far as the Christian has come to be 
right here, he has heaven already set up in his soul. 
The future glory is only the perfection of our present 
state and experience. 

We have the bud here. We see little touches of 
brilliant color, and catch a faint whiff of delicious 
odor; but it is impossible to read in the bud the full 
fragrance and glory of the rose. 

But, while this is the case, we must remember that 
the bud is of the same nature as the rose. 

Wheat and Chaff 

If you look at a head of wheat you can count the 
chaff bulbs along the stalk, inside each of which is sup- 
posed to be a kernel of wheat; but if you rub it in 
your hand and extract the kernels there will not be as 
many as there are bulbs of chaff — some of them were 
empty. 

The chaff is the profession; the kernel is the real 
Christian life within. An inspection of the records of 
any earthly church will reveal more names than actual 
Christian characters. Some of the professions are 
empty. Winnowing does not hurt wheat, but it is 
bad for chaff. All forms, all professions, all externals 
that are only empty chaff must be burned up; nothing 
will stand the test but the solid kernel of real piety. 
And this will stand the test. There is no process in all 
the government of God by which the wheat can be 
burned up. 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 221 

Witness of the SpiAt 

Surely it is not an unreasonable doctrine that God 
can speak to men, and so speak that they shall know- 
it is God who is speaking. Men can understand each 
other; even foreigners can make each other under- 
stand many things. Animals have means of communi- 
cating with each other; men can understand animals 
and animals can understand men. Would it not be 
strange if God could not so speak as to make himself 
understood by those spirits which he has created ? 

It may be necessary to listen for God's voice; it is 
a "still small voice." It may be necessary to hush our 
spirits in the midst of the whirl and bustle of life, in 
order to distinguish God's voice from all others. 

An ancient philosopher taught the doctrine of the 
music of the spheres. He said that the heavenly bodies 
in their ceaseless revolutions give forth a delightful 
melody which only the practiced ear has ever heard. 
The bustle of earth is so loud and distracting as to 
drown this heavenly music, but the old philosopher, in 
the stillness of meditation, had somehow caught its 
delicious strains. And at the midnight hour of a sum- 
mer's night, when earth is at its stillest; when the 
voices of men are hushed in slumber, and the bustle 
of business has ceased; when the animal kingdom is 
stilled in repose; when we hush our spirits and turn 
the ear toward the blue heavens and listen, we fancy 
we feel the throbbings of nature's pulse, and catch 
some faint murmur of this heavenly music. In such 



222 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

moments we can almost believe that this dream of the 
old philosopher is a reality. 

However this may be, we know that a music far 
sweeter and more definite finds its way from heaven 
to the soul of man — the voice of God, which speaks to 
his children in assurance and love. While we are in 
the midst of earth's noise and confusion it may be 
necessary to turn aside for a time, enter our closets, 
shut out the world, hush our hearts, and listen for the 
voice of God which assures us of pardon and divine 
favor. 

Work for Christ 

Work for Christ seems to have a wonderfully stimu- 
lating influence on the life and character. Those who 
begin it early in life generally go on to an active and 
useful career; those who decline it, too often stagnate 
and die. I call to mind a bright young man, occupying 
a good position in business circles, who scarcely ever 
spoke in a prayer meeting without expressing an ear- 
nest desire to do something for Christ. This was a 
marked feature of his remarks. A leader was needed 
for a young people's class, and I asked him to take 
the place. His reply was, "O, I can't do that; I'm 
not fitted for it ; some one else can do it much better." 
I said to him, "Then we mustn't hear any more in 
prayer meeting about how much you want to do for 
the Lord, when you refuse to do the first duty that 
presents itself." I then asked him to lay the matter 
before God in prayer, and see if he dared shirk such a 
duty. After a few days he told me that he would 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 223 

undertake it. He made one of the best class leaders 
I ever knew, and showed such marked ability and 
quickening of religious life, that he was soon elected 
superintendent of the Sunday school, occupying the 
position for many years with great success. From a 
position of very little influence he rose in a year's time 
to be the most influential man in the church. 

Another young man, about twenty-one years of age, 
had graduated from the Sunday school, as too many 
do at about that age. He had not attended for some 
time. One Monday morning I met him on the street, 
and, laying my hand on his shoulder, said, "Young 
man, we need you in the Sunday school," and went on 
to other duties. He said to himself, "They need me 
in the Sunday school, do they ? I must go around and 
see about that." The next Sunday he was in Sunday 
school, and he remained an active worker for thirty 
years or more, doing the most eflicient service for 
Christ. 

I wish I could say that all whom I have invited to 
work for the Master have responded to the invitation. 
Many others said "No," and persisted in the refusal, 
dragging along in a serviceless religious life to the 
very end. 

Working: with God 

In the work of human salvation, and in Christian 
work, God does something and man does something. 
Men are slow to comprehend this fact and work fully 
and cordially with God. Some think God will do it 
all, and they content themselves with asking him to do 



224 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

so. Others think man can do it all, and so they leave 
God out of the account. 

In mechanics the most difficult thing is to make a 
splice. The joint is the weak part of every structure. 
And this line of connection between God's work and 
man's work seems to be the weakest part of a Chris- 
tian experience. Men are slow to learn just how to 
take hold of God, and work with him for themselves 
and others. Faith is the bond of connection, but to 
many persons faith is a very shadowy thing. There is 
probably a profounder meaning in the emphasis 
that Christ put upon faith than the church has yet 

discovered. 

Youth 

If a person wishes to get an education, or learn a 
trade, or enter on a profession, or master the details of 
a business, or subdue a farm, he must do it early in 
life or it will generally not be done at all. It is sad 
to see an old man trying to clear land and establish a 
home in a new country. I knew an old man who was 
compelled by adverse circumstances to go West and 
break up a new farm. After a few years he revisited 
his old home in the East, wandering about the neigh- 
borhood in the most desolate and heartbroken fashion. 
He had undertaken something when it was too late to 
make a success of it. It is equally sad to see an old 
man trying to break up the fallow ground of his sinful 
heart after energy and enthusiasm and persistence are 
worn out in wrongdoing. The time to begin the Chris- 
tian life is in youth. 



Old Truths Newly Illustrated 225 

Youth, Manhood, Ag:e 

The little round of earthly life may be compared to 
the changing shadows of a summer's day. In the 
morning the shadows all point toward evening; at 
noon there is little or no shadow ; at evening the shad- 
ows point back again toward morning. 

In youth the shadow points to manhood and age. 
The hopes, desires, impulses, aspirations, are all for the 
future. "Distance lends enchantment to the view." 
The future is full of brightness and glory. This is so 
of necessity, for youth cannot look back! It has no 
past ; it has very little present ; it has only a future. 

In manhood, when the sun of life has reached its 
meridian, the man and shadow are identical; the 
shadow is under his feet. He is wholly devoted to the 
interests of the present; he neither looks backward 
nor forward; desires neither departed youth nor pro- 
spective age; the present engrosses and satisfies all his 
desires ; he wishes things would forever remain as they 
are. He is satisfied with himself, not as he was, not 
as he will be, but just as he is. 

In old age the shadow on the dial of existence points 
back again to the brightness of its rising. The old 
pilgrim turns his eyes wistfully back to manhood and 
youth. His heart stretches in yearning over the in- 
tervening years to the enchantment of life's dis- 
tant morning. The old man would fain be young 
again. Youth as a far-away, half- faded vision seems 
far brighter than youth as a present experience. When 



226 Old Truths Newly Illustrated 

the future grows dark he turns to the past for light. 
The old man turns his back to the future and faces 
the past. 

Such is the picture of a merely earthly life. The 
only remedy for this desolate experience is a broader 
vision, which takes in eternity as well as time; which 
measures this life as it is related to a higher, better, 
eternal life. The Christian youth does not confine his 
outlook to manhood and age; but away beyond them 
he sees a vision of eternal glory and achievement. The 
Christian man is not absorbed in the present; he only 
uses it as a means to a glorious end which is not real- 
ized in this world. He lays up his treasures in heaven, 
not on earth. He stores his mind with what will be 
needed there as well as here. 

And the Christian old man does not turn back to 
the past. He resolutely faces the future. There is 
something still before him far brighter than the en- 
chantment of youth, or the achievements of manhood. 
There is no old age in the Christian life; something 
higher and better is always beckoning us onward. 



TOPICAL INDEX 



Accepted Time, The, 135, 185, 

Affliction: Uses of, 1, 39, 92, 204 ; Cour- 
age in, 58 ; Comfort in, 85, 201 ; 
Meaning of, 154. 

Alms, 87. 

Altruism, 15, 96, 186. 

Ambition, Worldly, 90. 

Ambitious Pride, 157. 

Apostasy, 6, 13, 195. 

Assurance, 110, 116, 172, 219, 221. 

Atonement, 85, 89. 

Avarice, 42, 119. 

Backsliders, 5, 7, 13, 58, 62, 68, 119, 195. 
Base Pleasures, 145. 
Bible, The, 120, 157, 181. 
Bondage to Sin, 193. 
Border Lands, 109, 196. 
Broad Way, The, 127. 
Burden: The Pastor's, 14 ; Of Friend- 
ship, 74. 

Call to Work, The, 86, 222. 

Care: The Church's, 13; God's Pro- 
tecting, 36. 

Catholicity, 21, 143. 

Changelessness, Eternal, 114. 

Change of Heart, 183; Of View, 16. 

Character, 71, 220. 

Children, Training of, 17, 53, 91. 

Choosing: Christ, 19; Companions, 
125 ; The World, 176. 

Christ: Finding, 10; Adapts Himself 
to Men, 20; In Our Hearts, 22; 
Human and Divine, 24 ; One With 
the Father, 25 ; The Light, 27 ; In 
Touch With, 42; Our Example, 104 ; 
Power of, 108, 170 ; Love for, 118 ; 
Freedom in, 219. 

Christian Life, The, 7, 13, 17, 31, 48, 
51, 195, 208, 218. 

Church : Members of the, 7, 195; Duty 
of the, 15 ; Defined, 31 ; A Light, 31 ; 
Fellow- workers, 43; Divine Power 
in the, 47; Afflicted, 165 ; Sympathy, 
201. 

Cleansing and Filling, God'sLove,?7. 

Confidence, 18. 

Conflict with Evil, 130. 

Conscience, 50, 112, 184. 

Criticism, Thoughtless, 38. 

Crosses, 20, 40. 

Cross, The Death on the, 84. 

"Count it All Joy," 204. 

Danger Signals, The Bible, 157. 
Darkness and Light, 27. 



Death: Comes to All, 42 ; Of the Sin- 
ner, 71; Comfort in, 109 ; Preparing 
for, 120, 158, 162, 187 ; The Road to, 
190. 

Death of Christ, The, 84. 

Decision, 123. 

Devil's Territory, The, 196. 

Diligence, 44, 54, 144, 194. 

Discipline, 2, 26, 92. 

Duty, 26, 29, 54, 61, 129, 140, 145. 

Dying Moments, 109. 

Earthly Life, The Merely, 225. 
Empty Hearts, 77. 
Enemy Watchful, The, 178, 219. 
Eternal Life, 94, 114. 
Evil, The Power of, 130. 
Example, 51, 194. 
Extremes, Danger in, 202. 
Experience, Personal, 53. 

Face an Index, The, 34. 

Failure, 54, 148. 

Faith, 56, 57, 83, 86, 224. 

Family Happiness, 125; Influence, 

59 ; Worship, 150. 
Fatherhood of God, 18, 36, 80. 
Faults to Overcome, 194. 
Fellowship, 15. 
Finding One's Life, 99. 
Forgetting God, 68. 
Forgiveness, 91. 
Foundations, 69, 132. 
Friendship, 29, 74. 

Fruit of the Spirit, 75, 169, 195, 202, 208. 
Full Salvation, 77, 79. 
Future Life, The, 94, 114. 

Gifts, God's Great, 80, 84. 

Giving, Systematic, 87. 

God: Purpose in Afflictions, 1, 39, 58, 
85, 92, 154, 201, 204; Knows the 
Heart, 2 ; Love of, 17, 103, 121, 201 ; 
Power, 21, 47, 216; Family of, 29; 
Guides, 46, 117 ; Sees, 57, 183 ; Attri- 
butes, 68, 146 ; Kingdom of, 79, 219 ; 
Our Father, 80, 82, 104 ; Present, 83, 
85, 105 ; Helper, 89 ; The Peace of, 
142; Resisting, 174; The Restorer, 
182 ; Makes Free, 193 ; Longing for, 
206 ; One, 210 ; Long-suffering, 214 ; 
The Voice of, 221 ; Works with 
Men, 224. 

Godliness, 226. 

Good Women, 126. 

Good Works, 29. 

Gospel, The, 21. 



228 



Topical Index 



Grace: Abounding, 79; The Need of, 
89 ; The Work of, 169, 176 ; Growth 
in, 177. 

Growth under Affliction, 1. 

Habits, Our Bad, 101. 
Hardship, Uses of, 92. 
Heart, A Bad, 99, 163. 
Heavenly Joys, Jil9. 
Help from God, 15, 181. 
Heredity, 99. 
Heroism, 37. 
History, Lessons of, 161. 
,-^oliness, 76, 79, 123, 130, 169, 183. 
:>'Tloly Spirit, The, 198. 

Home, Happiness in the, 125, 133. 
Honesty, 172. 
Household of God, 28. 
Humility, 116, 155 ; Of Christ, 104. 
Hypocrisy, 34, 58. 

Imitation, 51. 

Immortality Suggested, 175. 

Impulsion Needed, 88. 

Inadequate Punishment, 159. 

Individual Responsibility, 50. 

Industry, 212. 

Influence: Our, 130, 203; Religious 

Profession, 159 ; Wide-spreading, 

193 
Ingratitude, 68, 107, 121. 
Iniquity Cleansed, 163. 
Instability, 62. 
Intemperance, 145. 
In Touch with Christ, 208. 

Judgment, The Final, 24, 50, 56, 184. 

Kindness, Mutual, 91. 
Kingdom, Christ's, 23. 
Knocking, 108. 
Know and Love, 111, 
Knowing, 94. 
Knowledge of God, 170. 

Labor for Others, 96. 

Laws, Moral and Spiritual, 191. 

Leader, Our, 26. 

Life of God, The, 195. 

Life's Day, 225. 

Light : Borrowed, 112 ; Obscured, 

113; Of theGospel, 21; Of the World, 

27, 198; The True, 31. 
Listening for God, 221. 
Living to Oneself, 186. 
Longing for God, 206. 
Looking Forward, 226. 
Losing One's Life, 99. 
Love: A Father's, 18,84; In God's 

Household, 29; And Faith, 57 ; To 

Man and Christ, 61, 74, 118, 120; 

God's, 77 ; Of Christ, 104 ; Law of, 

110 ; As a Bond, 133 ; God Wants 

Man's, 211. 



Merciful Man, The, 137. 
Minister's Duty, The, 61. 
Mission, Christ's, 23, 104. 
Missions, The Need for, 129. 
Moderation, 202. 
Money, Love of, 119. 

Narrow Way, The, 127. 

Nearness of God, 85. 

Neglected Opportunity, 121, 135, 144. 

Neglect Hurtful, 6. 

Neutrality Impossible, 131. 

New Creature, A, 183. 

Obedience, 132. 
Occupations, Immoral, 8. 
Ocean of God's Love, 77. 
Ocean's Purity, The, 35. 
Old Age, 134, 224. 

Opportunity: Used, 88; Neglected, 
121, 135, 144 ; Waited for, 212. 

Parents and Children, 17, 53, 60. 
Patient Toil for Great Results, 148, 

154, 214. 
Peace of the Christian, The, 168. 
Perseverance, 12, 15, 37, 44, 54, 58, 147, 

170, 177, 208, 218. 
Personal Effort, The, 88. 
Piety and Profession, 77, 159, 206, 220. 
Pleasures that Degrade, 145. 
Poor, Oppressing the, 137. 
Prayer: Answers to, 85; Importunity 

in, 106, 108; In Public, 149, 151; 

Private, 158. 
Prejudice, 138. 

Preparing for Death, 71, 158, 162. 
Professing Religion, 159. 
Progress, Spiritual, 134. 
Proofs of Faith, 57. 
Pruning, 13. 
Punishment Hereafter, 159. 

Reading, 131. 

Reaping, 184. 

Recreation, 161. 

Regeneration, 27, 100, 115, 166, 182. 

Remedy for Care, 15. 

Remembering God, 68. 

Repentance, 187. 

Resisting God, 120, 174. 

Responsibility,^ Our, 50, 130, 192, 208. 

Results, Preparing for, 148, 154. 

Resurrection, 175. 

Righteous, The, 195, 220. 

Rivers and Channels, 91. 

Rock, Christ the, 69. 

Salt of the Gospel, The, 35. 
Salvation : God's Work, 47, 100, 163, 

166, 181, 183; God's Rule for, 63; 

Full, 79 ; Cost, 85 ; Christ's Views 

of, 129 ; The Day of, 135, 180 ; Man's 

Work in, 223. 



Topical Index 



229 



Satan's Wiles, 196. 

Saved, The, 50. 

Second Coming, The, 116, 219. 

Seekers, 108. 

Self-denial, 25, 97, 145. 

Self-esteem, 15. 

Self-knowledge, 184. 

Separation from Evil, 196. 

Sight and Faith, 56. 

Sin : Unrepented, 120 ; Bible Warn- 
ings, 157 ; Forgiven, 163 ; In Bond- 
age to, 166, 192 ; Nature of, 182, 183, 
190 ; And the Sinner, 193 ; Freed, 
193. 

Sincerity, 8. 

Sowing, 183. 

Spirit, Influence of the, 31. 

Spiritual 'Death, 99 ; Life, 115 ; Wis- 
dom, 128, 147, 170; Progress, 134; 
Exercise, 204. 

Stability, 54. 

Storms for Strength, 1, 94, 204. 

Study, Recreation in, 161. 

Success, 54. 

" Suffer Little Children," 17. 

Sun of Righteousness, The, 21. 

Taking Sides, 130. 
Temperance, 202. 
Temptation, 65, 119, 204. 
Testimony, 11, 48. 
Thankfulness, 11. 
Training, Early, 101. 
Trials, Uses of, 2. 

True Religion, 52, 57, 72, 73, 75, 79, 159, 
208, 219. 



Trusting God, 9. 
Truth, 173, 206. 

Union with Christ, 13, 42, 208. 
Universe Full of God, The, 105. 
Unquenchable Fire, 220. 
Unrest, Sin is, 189. 
Use of Life, Our, 12, 186. 
'Using the World, 90. 

Vice, The Effects of, 145. 
Vine, Christ the, 208. 
Voice of God, The, 32, 222. 

Waiting for Help, 146 ; For Results, 

214. 
War's Discipline, 92. 
Watchfulness, 178, 216, 218; The 

Enemy's, 219. 
Weeds, Our, 101. 
Will, The Part of the, 73. 
Winnowing the Wheat, 206, 220. 
Wisdom, Spiritual, 128, 147. 
Witness of the Spirit, The, 65. 
Word of God, How to Use the, 9. 
Work: For the Church, 140; For 

Christ, 163 ; Of Christ, 163. 
Works, 12, 57, 75, 208. 
Worldliness, 76, 178. 
Worldly Care, 15. 
World's Ways, The, 51. 
Worth, Hidden, 215. 

Youth : Given to God, 79 ; Care for, 
101 ; And Age, 224. 

Zeal, 45, 61, 140, 196. 



AUG 31 1904 



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